US Says Israel-Lebanon Talks to Resume in Rome in September
US State Department officials said Washington remains optimistic about the process, saying they “feel good about the trajectory” of the talks despite significant domestic political pressures facing both Israel and Lebanon.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The United States has confirmed that the next round of US-facilitated bilateral diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place in Rome in early September, as Washington seeks to advance a broader security and peace framework between the two countries.
US State Department officials said Washington remains optimistic about the process, saying they “feel good about the trajectory” of the talks despite significant domestic political pressures facing both Israel and Lebanon.
Diplomatic contacts will continue before the Rome meeting, with discussions expected to take place in Beirut, Jerusalem and Washington as the two sides work to maintain momentum.
Implementation of a trilateral framework agreement has also begun. Israel has completed its first withdrawal from a designated pilot zone in southern Lebanon, enabling the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to take over local security responsibilities.
The September talks are expected to build on discussions held in August and focus on expanding the pilot-zone process, including further Israeli military redeployments and the transfer of security responsibilities to the LAF.
The sides are also expected to address unresolved land border disputes along the UN-monitored Blue Line, one of the key outstanding issues between Israel and Lebanon.
Other discussions will focus on standardizing terminology and operational maps, establishing third-party verification mechanisms for LAF clearance operations, and exploring demining efforts involving third countries.
The broader objective is to lay the groundwork for a long-term, comprehensive peace and security agreement between Israel and Lebanon.