Lebanon-Israel to Resume US-Led Talks Next Week in Rome

Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington DC. (Twitter/@yechielleiter)

JAKARTA - The next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon led by the United States will be held in Rome, Italy, next week, with negotiators seeking to build on recent progress towards implementing a security framework agreement, US media reported on Monday.

"We enter these discussions with significant momentum following the successful launch of the first pilot zone in southern Lebanon and President Joseph Aoun's productive meeting with President Donald Trump last week," a US State Department official was quoted as saying by local media, launching Anadolu (28/7).

According to the official, the technical working group that met in Rome on August 4-6 will focus on advancing the full implementation of the framework agreement last month.

The agenda will include expanding pilot zone initiatives, resolving outstanding border disputes, and efforts towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

"The first pilot zone is a real opportunity to make real progress on the ground, restore the authority of the Lebanese state through the disarmament of verified terrorist organizations, and build the trust needed for the next steps," the official said.

The official added that the lessons learned from the initial pilot zone would help refine the implementation process before it was gradually expanded.

"The trilateral framework is the only path to lasting peace. Its full implementation is clearly in the interests of both countries, and the Trump administration is committed to its success," he said.

It is known that Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement regulating Israel's gradual withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories on June 26.

However, the agreement does not include a withdrawal schedule. Instead, the agreement links the completion of the process to full security responsibilities taken over by the Lebanese army in areas vacated by Israeli forces and the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah.

According to official Lebanese figures, Israel's attacks in Lebanon since March 2 have killed 4,328 people and injured 12,232 others.

Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, some of which have been controlled for decades and others seized during previous wars between October 2023 and November 2024.