Israel, Lebanon reach agreement on initial pilot areas after US-brokered Rome talks
Talks in Rome with Lebanon were "positive," and included plans to advance a pilot security zone under the existing framework agreement, an Israeli official tells i24NEWS
Israel and Lebanon concluded two days of US-brokered talks in Rome on Wednesday with both sides describing the discussions as positive and reporting progress toward implementing the ceasefire framework through the creation of two pilot areas in southern Lebanon.
The negotiations, mediated by the United States, focused on practical steps to advance the implementation of the existing Israel-Lebanon framework agreement, including Israeli withdrawals from designated areas, greater deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and mechanisms to ensure Hezbollah does not re-establish a presence in the pilot zones.
Lebanese presidential sources said the negotiations were "very constructive" and centered on establishing the two pilot areas as the first stage of implementation. An announcement identifying the two areas is expected in the coming days, with officials expressing hope it will be made no later than next week.
One of the pilot areas will include territory currently occupied by Israel from which Israeli forces are expected to withdraw, while the second will be located on its outskirts. The framework also envisions the return of civilian residents to villages within the pilot areas.
Discussions will continue on a timeline for expanding the pilot-area model to additional locations, while technical aspects of withdrawals and military movements will require another military meeting, likely to be held in Rome. An American statement is also expected to outline the timing and location of the next round of talks.
Lebanese officials said they were open to a US proposal under which a third party would verify that the pilot areas are free of Hezbollah fighters and that the group does not return after implementation. They stressed that no request had been made to search private property and that any such actions would take place only in accordance with Lebanese law.
An Israeli official told i24NEWS that the Rome discussions reinforced the agreement between Israel and Lebanon on the need to disarm Hezbollah and continue implementing the framework agreement.
The official said the pilot areas are intended to test the Lebanese state's ability to assert sovereignty through deployments by the Lebanese Armed Forces, with compliance verified by a third party. The official added that neither UNIFIL nor UNTSO was discussed as part of any future verification mechanism.
The Israeli official also said discussions continued on arrangements concerning private property that would enable the removal of smuggled weapons while respecting Lebanese law, and confirmed that the two initial pilot areas had been agreed upon. Any expansion to additional pilot areas, the official said, will depend on the successful implementation of the first phase.
Lebanese presidential sources also ruled out any meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling such a meeting "completely unacceptable." They added that Aoun's upcoming visit to Washington would be brief and include a meeting with US President Trump.