Lebanon-Israel talks in Rome end with pilot zones deal

Shafaq News- Beirut

Lebanon-Israel talks concluded after two days in Rome with the two sides agreeing on the structure and operational guidelines for proposed “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon, the US Embassy in Beirut announced on Wednesday.

The embassy described the discussions as "productive and positive," saying the remaining procedural steps would now be completed and implementation was expected to begin in the coming days. It added that the next phase would consist of expanded technical talks to implement all provisions of the US-sponsored trilateral framework and work toward a comprehensive agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv.

Neither Lebanon nor Israel had issued an official statement on the outcome of the talks or the locations of the Pilot Zones.

The sixth round of direct negotiations began on Tuesday in Rome. Lebanon's delegation included Ambassador to the United States Nada Mouawad, former ambassador Simon Karam, and Brigadier General Ziad Haikal, an adviser to President Joseph Aoun. Israel was represented by its ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, while the US delegation was led by State Department counselor Dan Haller.

The meetings followed five previous rounds of US-sponsored negotiations in Washington. Under a US-brokered framework signed on June 26, Israel agreed to withdraw from designated pilot zones in the south before the Lebanese Army deploys there as part of a phased withdrawal.

Israeli forces, however, have yet to withdraw from the designated areas, while Israeli military operations in Lebanon have continued.