Talks between Lebanon and Israel will probably continue despite Hezbollah's obstructions, but Israel's likely refusal to offer meaningful concessions will sustain a high risk of renewed conflict in the coming months. On Dec. 3, Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives held direct talks for the first time in four decades to establish a political and economic foundation for ties between the two countries. The talks occurred under the monitoring mechanism established to oversee the November 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, and were held at the U.N. peacekeeping force headquarters in the Lebanese town of Naqoura, near the border with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a representative from the Israeli National Security Council, while Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sent Lebanon's former ambassador to the United States, Simon Karam, to head their respective delegations. Senior U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus also attended the meeting....
