A sixth round of direct peace talks between Lebanon and Israel began at the US embassy in Rome on Tuesday, with Lebanon pushing for the implementation of “pilot zones” amid increased attacks in one of the proposed areas, Lebanese political and security sources told The National.
The pilot zones, in which the Lebanese army would assume control and ensure Hezbollah's disarmament in exchange for Israeli withdrawal, were a central point in a framework peace agreement signed last month.
Areas included in the proposal – western Zawtar, Kafr Tibnit and the Ali Taher ridge in Nabatieh province – have been hit by increased Israeli attacks in recent days, a security source said.
“We've observed the arson of homes and the systematic destruction of the neighbourhoods where [Israeli troops] were present,” the Lebanese security source said. “Whether they're getting ready to withdraw or deepening their presence – it's not clear.”
“Today the attacks focused specifically on eastern Zawtar,” the source said.
The Rome meeting is the first between Israel and Lebanon since they signed the framework to end hostilities in Washington last month. It takes place at a particularly difficult time, with the collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire threatening to drag the Lebanese-Israeli truce down with it.
“The focus will be on enforcing the pilot zones,” one of the political sources said. “The Lebanese side wants to raise the issue because until now [Israel] has not implemented the agreement on the pilot zones.”
The negotiations at the US embassy will not include Italian participation. A US State Department official said the first day of talks on Tuesday was "productive and held in a positive atmosphere". They said both sides "are eager to move forward".
Israel has shown no indication that it intends to withdraw from the areas it agreed to vacate during the previous round of negotiations on June 26, when the US-brokered pilot plan was conceived.
On the ground, the Israeli army has continued daily attacks on southern Lebanon – including areas near the proposed pilot zones – while demolishing homes and villages in the areas it occupies. Hezbollah, which would have to disarm within the zones, has publicly rejected the agreement, while Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz last week said the country's forces would remain in southern Lebanon for “as long as necessary”.
“We did not ask permission from any party to enter Lebanon and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” Mr Katz said last Thursday.
The Lebanese delegation at the Rome talks includes Beirut's ambassador to Washington Nada Moawad, former envoy Simon Karam and retired military officer Ziad Heykal, an adviser to President Joseph Aoun.
Slow progress has been made on defining the boundaries of the first two zones, making the issue a priority in the Rome talks, according to the political source.
“There is still disagreement over which villages would be located within the pilot zones,” the source said. Mr Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met on Monday to discuss the agenda for negotiations and “agreed to instruct the delegation to raise this issue before anything else.”
“We won't discuss anything else, actually, if there isn't engagement on that issue,” the source continued.
Mr Aoun is due to visit Washington on July 21 for his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump, where he is expected to press Lebanon’s case for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Israel's attacks have killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon since the war began in early March, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Although limited in scope since the latest ceasefire, the attacks have continued, while the Israeli army has further entrenched its presence in areas it occupies.
