The seventh round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States, has failed to reach an agreement on the issue of additional Israeli military withdrawals. Israel maintains that it must first verify whether the Lebanese military is effectively controlling areas from which it has already withdrawn before considering further pullbacks.
According to reports from AFP and other sources on August 6, the two sides have been negotiating in Rome, Italy, since August 4, but they could not agree on expanding the areas from which Israeli forces would withdraw in southern Lebanon.
In June, Israel and Lebanon reached a basic agreement, facilitated by the U.S., linking the disarmament of Hezbollah with a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of Lebanese forces. The plan initially designated two areas in the south as buffer zones, where Israeli forces would withdraw and Lebanese troops would take control.
During the current negotiations, Lebanon has called for the addition of more buffer zones to facilitate further Israeli withdrawals. However, Israel has countered that it needs to confirm the proper implementation of the agreement regarding the deployment of Lebanese forces and the disarmament of Hezbollah in the existing two areas before proceeding.
Sources from the Lebanese side reported that “no definitive results have emerged regarding the buffer zones.” The Israeli side also stated, “It is too early to assess the outcomes, as only two weeks have passed since the trial operation began.”
Despite the lack of agreement, U.S. officials have assessed that progress has been made in the negotiations. A U.S. official noted, “The gap between the two sides regarding the necessary measures to expand the buffer zones has significantly narrowed.”
Throughout the negotiations, military tensions have persisted. The Israeli military conducted airstrikes in southern Lebanon in retaliation for the deaths of two Israeli soldiers.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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