Crisis in Rome Talks: Lebanon Refuses to Discuss Operational Mechanisms with Israel

The seventh round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in Rome ended without a breakthrough. According to a report by 'Al-Akhbar', the Lebanese military team opposed the political echelon's agreement to inspect 40% of homes south of the Litani and refused to discuss operational mechanisms with Israel. The US rejected the Lebanese army's request for an Israeli withdrawal, and Israel did not approve new pilot zones before verifying Hezbollah's disarmament in the villages.

The seventh round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Rome ended without a breakthrough, according to the Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper 'Al-Akhbar'. According to the report, internal disagreements within the Lebanese delegation disrupted the talks: the political team agreed that the Lebanese army would inspect 40% of homes in the area south of the Litani River, but the military team objected, stressed that it would not carry out actions beyond the law, and refused to discuss working mechanisms with Israel. Instead, the military team asked the US to persuade Israel to withdraw from the territories occupied in southern Lebanon in exchange for removing military presence and weapons. The US rejected the proposal, and Israel said it was not ready to discuss new pilot zones for withdrawal in the foreseeable future. Israel insisted on first verifying the Lebanese army's steps in the villages of Zoutar al-Gharbiya and Faroun regarding Hezbollah's disarmament. In this round, discussions were completed on a third party to verify demilitarization, but only a limited list of options for the next stage was formulated.