BEIRUT — Following two days of U.S.-mediated negotiations in Rome, Lebanon and Israel moved closer to instituting “pilot zones befitting the southern border, where Israeli troops would withdraw and the Lebanese army would assume authority,” the U.S. State Department announced Wednesday.
The State Department characterized the talks as “productive” and highlighted that the parties had “agree[ed] on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, to be finalized and implemented in the coming days.”
Neither Lebanon nor Israel issued a statement at the time summarising the negotiations’ outcome.
On June 26, the two sides had announced a “framework agreement” that sets out a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from the sectors of southern Lebanon they occupy, in return for the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
The agreement foresees an initial phase of two “pilot zones” where the Israeli army would hand control over to the Lebanese forces, who would subsequently eliminate any Hezbollah presence in those areas.
Ground implementation of the plan had stalled until this week’s Rome discussions.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, slated to visit Washington on July 21, stated in a pre‑talk briefing that his delegation had been instructed to “call for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from the pilot zones before any further dialogue.”
The Wednesday statement did not identify the exact locations of the pilot zones, though officials had previously indicated that the towns of Froun, Ghandouriyeh and Zawtar would be included.
The selection of the zones drew criticism in Lebanon, as Israeli forces were largely absent from most of the proposed area, raising questions about how a withdrawal could be effected. The Lebanese army had advocated for larger zones that would encompass more territory under Israeli occupation.
The latest Israel‑Hezbollah conflict reignited when Hezbollah однако, sent missiles across the border on March 2, merely two days following a coordinated U.S. and Israeli strike on Iran.
Hezbollah and Iran have sought to link the termination of hostilities in Lebanon to the progress of broader U.S.–Iran negotiations, while the Lebanese administration has aimed to keep those issues distinct, pursuing a ceasefire directly with Israel.
The bilateral framework also outlines steps toward an eventual peace accord between the two parties, which remain formally at war for nearly eight decades.
The State Department added that, following the implementation of the pilot zones, it would “advance to expanded technical talks with the objective of achieving a comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon.”
Hezbollah has categorically opposed the direct dialogue and declared it would not comply with the agreement or disarm. Israeli authorities, meanwhile, have publicly indicated their intent to maintain a prolonged presence in southern Lebanon.
