Another round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon has begun in Rome, according to a report from ynet. Details on the agenda and duration of the talks have not yet been disclosed.
A new round of Israel-Lebanon negotiations opened in Rome on Tuesday morning, according to a report from ynet. The talks are the latest in a series of U.S.-brokered diplomatic sessions that have alternated between Washington and Rome in recent months. The agenda and expected duration of this round have not been disclosed, but earlier reports indicated the discussions would focus on expanding the 'pilot zones' for Lebanese Armed Forces deployment and the dismantling of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese delegation, led by former ambassador to Washington Simon Karam, departed Beirut on Monday, Aug 3, with explicit instructions to condition any discussion of other topics on the presentation of a clear roadmap for IDF withdrawal from additional areas in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Liwaa as reported by The Zioneer. The delegation landed in Rome later that day, as confirmed by Abu Ali Express. By Monday afternoon, reports had emerged that the talks would address the pilot zone expansion and Hezbollah’s disarmament, shifting the focus from the previous round's emphasis on security arrangements and gradual IDF withdrawal.
As The Zioneer reported on July 29, the U.S. State Department confirmed that this round was scheduled for August 4–6, with technical teams set to discuss expanding pilot zones and resolving remaining land border disputes. This follows a series of earlier rounds in Washington, including a fifth round in June in which the Lebanese delegation demanded a formal timetable for withdrawal, while Israel insisted on the Lebanese army proving its enforcement capabilities first.
It remains unclear whether the Lebanese delegation's precondition—a clear withdrawal roadmap before other discussions—has been met or modified, and no official details on the talks' progress or duration have been released.
3 developments
- DevelopingReport: New round of Israel-Lebanon negotiations to begin Tuesday
- StrongThird round of Israel-Lebanon talks begins in Washington
- DevelopingIsrael and Lebanon to resume talks in Rome; official says 'if Hezbollah stays, so will we'
- StrongLebanon to participate in Rome talks with Israel on July 24-25, official says
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