The US State Department said Israel and Lebanon will hold US-led direct talks in Rome from August 4 for two days to advance a US-brokered framework agreed in late June. Negotiators will prioritize implementing and expanding pilot zones for an Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese Army deployment, resolving outstanding border issues, and pursuing a comprehensive peace and security agreement. These are the first direct government talks in decades to help shore up the ceasefire; Hezbollah is not participating.
Israel and Lebanon Resume US-Led Talks in Rome Starting August 4
FILE PHOTO - Black smoke rises following an Israeli controlled detonation in the southern Lebanese village of Dier Siriyan. (is associated with: «Israel and Lebanon to meet for further talks in Rome») Stringer/dpa
The US State Department announced that a fresh round of direct, US-led talks between Israel and Lebanon will be held in Rome beginning on August 4 and are expected to last two days.
Diplomats and negotiators will concentrate on advancing the full implementation of a US-brokered framework agreement reached at the end of June. That framework is designed to pave the way for a final peace accord and includes so-called "pilot zones" where an Israeli withdrawal would occur and the Lebanese Army would be deployed.
Key Objectives: The Rome discussions will focus on expanding the pilot-zone process, resolving outstanding border issues and working toward a comprehensive peace and security agreement to stabilize the frontier.
These are the first direct political talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments in decades, aimed at shoring up a fragile ceasefire in the wider conflict involving the militant group Hezbollah. Hezbollah itself is not participating in the negotiations.
Officials stress that the Lebanese government is not a party to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel and Lebanon also remain without formal diplomatic relations.
Context: The talks build on a US-mediated framework agreed in late June and represent a step toward translating that framework into practical arrangements on the ground, including troop movements, territorial delimitations and security coordination.
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