Can Lebanon’s political shift—and Simon Karam’s role—reset negotiations with Israel?

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

A strategic political shift in Lebanon led to former Ambassador Simon Karam, appointed by President Joseph Aoun, heading Lebanon’s delegation to the ceasefire monitoring mechanism meeting after coordination with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. 

The shift has been long in the making, beginning with a look at Karam himself — known for his sovereign positions, from past years up to very recently, when a speech he delivered at Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth (USJ) prompted some Hezbollah supporters to walk out.

Sources indicate that President Aoun made the decision to select him, a choice that drew no opposition from other Lebanese parties and received support from Washington, which has maintained long-standing ties with Karam since his tenure as ambassador.

Since President Aoun took office, the U.S. — particularly Morgan Ortagus — proposed forming committees of military and civilian diplomats to negotiate with Israel. Lebanon’s official position rejected the idea, saying the focus must first remain on the military track. But the rejection did not stop the continued U.S. and Israeli calls.

This insistence was later met twice by Aoun, signaling Lebanon’s approval of the principle of negotiations, a position he outlined in his Independence Day address.

The announcement received no response from Israel, but two developments followed. The first came from U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus, who discussed the matter twice within a month with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The second involved U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa, whose brief talks with Aoun last week were reportedly pivotal.

The mechanism committee’s mission is no longer limited to monitoring the ceasefire agreement. With a diplomat like Karam joining it, discussions have expanded from purely military matters to broader topics that will become clearer over time. As for whether this step will help reduce tensions, a Western source said it is possible, but too early to judge.