New round of talks between Israel and Lebanon to begin August 4 in Rome

Washington says negotiations will focus on expanding pilot zones of IDF withdrawal, resolving outstanding border disputes, and working toward peace agreement

WASHINGTON — The next round of US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place next week in Rome, the State Department confirmed on Monday.

Technical teams from each side will meet from August 4 to August 6 and focus on advancing the implementation of the framework agreement for an eventual peace deal that Israel and Lebanon signed last month.

“That includes expanding the pilot zone process, resolving all outstanding border issues, and working on a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” a statement attributed to a State Department official said.

Last month’s deal called for the Lebanese military to deploy in areas in southern Lebanon where the Hezbollah terror group had a military presence and influence, and for Israel to withdraw from its declared security zone in the south, dependent on Hezbollah disarmament.

The IDF carried out its first withdrawal from a pilot zone in southern Lebanon last week, though Beirut has since accused Jerusalem of hampering efforts by the Lebanese Armed Forces to operate in that area.

The State Department insisted the power transfer is going well, though there were concerns that Israel will not agree to perform additional withdrawals as the October Knesset election approaches.

“The experience of the initial zones will help us perfect pilot-zone implementation so it can expand in a phased manner,” the State Department statement said. “The Trilateral Framework is the only path to lasting peace. Fully implementing it is in the clear interest of both countries, and the Trump Administration is committed to its success.”

The latest war between Israel and Hezbollah started March 2, after the Lebanese terror group fired rockets into Israel to support Iran, its main backer. In response, Israel launched an aerial campaign and ground invasion in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s top political leadership criticized Hezbollah for dragging the country into another war, but also condemned Israel for its strikes and ground invasion.

Hezbollah has denounced the talks and agreement with Israel, but has not tried to sabotage it through military means.

Israeli officials have expressed skepticism that Lebanon’s armed forces are strong enough to disarm Hezbollah by force on their own, and say IDF troops are needed in the south to provide a buffer zone keeping the Iran-backed terror group away from its border.

More than a million Lebanese have been displaced by Israel’s military campaign since the war broke out in March.

More than 4,300 people have been killed, according to Lebanese authorities, which do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel said late last month it had killed at least 2,500 Hezbollah operatives, including hundreds of members of the terror group’s elite Radwan Force.

Thirty-eight IDF soldiers and one Defense Ministry civilian contractor have been killed in southern Lebanon. Two civilians were also killed by Hezbollah rockets, and an Israeli civilian was mistakenly killed in the north by Israeli artillery shelling.