Lebanon, Israel conclude first day of Rome talks, second session set for Wednesday
i24NEWS learned that Syria will not be part of the demarcation talks, despite staking a claim to some of the land disputed between Israel and Lebanon
The first day of Israel-Lebanon talks concluded in Rome, with discussions set to resume Wednesday at 10 AM Israel time.
Two separate meetings were held Tuesday, according to Lebanon's LBCI, citing sources in the Lebanese Presidency. The first was diplomatic, focused on border demarcation, during which Lebanon presented its position on the land border; those talks are expected to continue Wednesday. The second meeting addressed military issues, including the verification mechanism for an Israeli withdrawal and the role of a third party overseeing the process.
Beirut placed renewal of the ceasefire, land border demarcation and a mechanism to verify Israel's pullout at the top of its agenda. It was also reported that for the first time, the Israeli delegation dropped its demand that Hezbollah be disarmed before border talks could proceed, with negotiations now centered on restoring the 1923 demarcated border. Lebanon proposed expanding pilot withdrawal zones to include Bint Jbeil and Khiam, while other towns like Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, already under pilot zone status since July 20, could also see the program grow.
Notably, i24NEWS learned that Syria will not be part of the demarcation talks, despite staking a claim to some of the land disputed between Israel and Lebanon.
The Lebanese delegation is headed by former ambassador Simon Karam, while Israel's delegation is led by Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, joined by 15 US officials from the State Department, National Security Council and Pentagon.
The talks proceed amid continued Israeli military activity in the south. Israeli forces reportedly used phosphorus munitions in Yaroun, Haroun and Bint Jbeil on Monday, and last week destroyed a Hezbollah tunnel network beneath Beaufort Castle using roughly 700 tons of explosives. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the negotiations Tuesday, saying they bring Lebanon "nothing but shame, humiliation and successive compromises."