A Lebanese diplomatic source told Al Arabiya that the Rome negotiations between Israel and Lebanon have been suspended, according to a single unverified report. The report comes after earlier indications that the talks had ended early Wednesday, with a US official saying they would resume Thursday morning.
The eighth round of Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Rome, which began on Monday under US mediation, has reportedly been suspended, according to a Lebanese diplomatic source speaking to Al Arabiya on Wednesday evening. The report, based on a single source, has not been officially confirmed by either party.
Earlier Wednesday, a senior US State Department official told Israeli media that the day's talks had ended early at 15:30 Rome time due to security events in the field, but that they would resume Thursday morning. The official described the discussions as productive, with professional teams making progress on key details of a framework agreement.
The round opened Monday with the Lebanese delegation, led by former ambassador to Washington Simon Karam, arriving in Rome. Tuesday's session focused on border issues and the expansion of pilot zones, according to Lebanese sources. The US State Department had announced that the talks would run through August 6.
The suspension report, if confirmed, would mark a significant setback in the diplomatic track. The Zioneer has previously reported on the series of negotiation rounds, including the fifth round in Washington in late June that produced a pilot withdrawal framework.
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