Lebanon proposes: Bint Jbeil and Al-Khiam become 'pilot zones'

Lebanon proposed expanding the 'pilot zones' in southern Lebanon to include Bint Jbeil and Al-Khiam, during the seventh round of talks with Israel in Rome. The talks opened on August 4 and split into political and military tracks. Israel has not yet responded to the proposal, with the focus on the supervision mechanism and the removal of Hezbollah infrastructure.

On the first day of the seventh round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, held in Rome, Lebanon proposed expanding the 'pilot zones' in southern Lebanon to include the towns of Bint Jbeil and Al-Khiam, which hold symbolic and geographical significance. The talks, which began on Tuesday, August 4, are expected to continue until Thursday. The US State Department confirmed the opening of the talks and defined their goal as achieving lasting security for both countries, removing security threats to Israel, and restoring Lebanese state control in southern Lebanon. The talks split into two tracks: a political one dealing with the land border, and a military one discussing the supervision and verification mechanism. Lebanon sought to rely on the 1949 armistice agreement, the Blue Line, and existing data on the ground. Lebanese sources claimed that the Israeli delegation expressed willingness to discuss the re-marking of the border. At the heart of the military discussions is the identity of the 'third party' that will ensure the area is free of weapons and Hezbollah infrastructure before its transfer to the Lebanese army. The United States is not expected to carry out the supervision itself. Israel has not yet given an official response to the proposal, and the Lebanese delegation has prepared alternatives. An Israeli political source assessed that the political situation and elections make progress difficult.