Last Friday, December 19, 2025, Israel and Lebanon met in Naqoura (southwest Lebanon) for their latest US-coordinated security dialogue. The main focus? Disarming Hezbollah and helping villagers on both sides return home safely. 🤝
Representing Israel was Yosef Dreznin, Deputy Director for Foreign Policy at the Israeli National Security Council, while Lebanon’s team was led by Simon Karam, the country’s former ambassador to the US. Their chat zeroed in on removing weapons from Hezbollah and exploring economic projects to boost border communities’ future. 🌱💼
From Israel’s side, the goal is clear: counter Hezbollah’s influence and secure long-term peace for communities along the frontier. Lebanon’s delegation stressed the humanitarian angle, urging a fast, safe return for displaced residents of southern villages. 🏘️❤️
This comes over a year after the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel took effect on November 27, 2024. Despite the deal, occasional Israeli strikes have continued, targeting perceived Hezbollah threats.
Earlier in December, the two neighbours held their first direct talks in Naqoura. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as "a first attempt to lay the groundwork for relations and economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon." 🤝📈
Why it matters to you: these talks hint at new regional stability pathways and cross-border collaboration—think tech partnerships, trade links, and social projects that could benefit young people across South and Southeast Asia. Stay tuned as this story unfolds! 🌏✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
