Pilot zones, which would allow displaced residents to return and reconstruction to begin, have yet to be finalized.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said efforts are underway to end the war with Israel, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces and deploy the Lebanese Army along the country’s southern border, allowing displaced residents of villages and towns to return to their homes. File Photo by Chema Moya/EPA
Lebanon and Israel concluded two days of U.S.-brokered negotiations in Rome on Wednesday, reaching an agreement on a process to be finalized for implementing the first pilot zones in southern Lebanon and an Israeli withdrawal in the coming days.
A U.S. official said in a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon that the Rome talks — the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli negotiating teams — were “productive and positive.”
The official reported an agreement on “the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, to be finalized and implemented in the coming days” as part the framework agreement reached by the Lebanese and Israeli negotiating teams June 26.
The preliminary deal provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied parts of southern Lebanon to allow the Lebanese Army to deploy, “restore effective sovereign authority,” disarm and prevent Hezbollah from returning to areas evacuated by Israel.
It will begin with two pilot zones, agreed upon by both sides, and if successfully implemented and verified, displaced residents would be allowed to return and reconstruction could begin, paving the way for further Israeli withdrawals.
The U.S. official said the Lebanese and Israeli negotiators will “now move to expanded technical talks” to advance the implementation of the framework deal with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement between the two countries.
A Lebanese military source told UPI that the Rome agreement “did not include a clear timetable, and the areas concerned have yet to be defined.”
The source said that “it doesn’t seem that the Americans reached a final agreement with Israel on this one,” adding that an Israeli-Lebanese-U.S. military meeting will be held virtually to discuss “implementation steps” concerning the first pilot zones.
He confirmed that the Lebanese Army “is ready to deploy and take over any areas” once Israeli forces withdraw from them.
A Lebanese official source said, in comments to UPI, that the military meeting will take place in the coming days, during which the Lebanese and U.S. armies will coordinate the Israeli withdrawal from the designated areas.
Israel first designated two pilot zones for starting its withdrawal that included the towns of Froun, Ghandourieh, Zawtar al-Gharbieh and Zawtar al-Sharqieh, situated in the central sector of southern Lebanon near the strategic Litani River.
A senior Israeli official told the Israeli English-language Ynet website that the Rome talks went well, but that additional preparations and understandings were still needed before the first stages of the pilot zones could be implemented.
“We assess that this will be achieved in the coming days,” the official said.
He said neither the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, or UNIFIL, nor the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization had been discussed and that neither would form part of any verification mechanism.
He added that the parties were examining several alternatives but that U.S. troops were also unlikely to take part, noting that Washington “is not prepared for boots on the ground.”
According to Ynet, talks are continuing over weapons stored on private property in the pilot zones, with the parties “seeking a solution that would facilitate the removal of illicit weapons while respecting Lebanese law.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that efforts are underway to end the war, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces and deploy the Lebanese Army along the country’s southern border, allowing displaced residents of villages and towns to return to their homes.
Aoun decided to engage in direct talks with Israel to try stop its military campaign triggered by Hezbollah opening a support front for Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, and resuming fighting in solidarity with Iran on March 2.
Israel, which is occupying a 6-mile “buffer zone” in southern Lebanon, insists that it will not pull out its troops unless Hezbollah is completely disarmed.
