Lebanon and Israel have resumed negotiations in Rome, aiming to implement a United States-brokered framework agreement intended to end the conflict in Lebanon. The talks began on Tuesday, July 14th, at the US embassy in the Italian capital and are scheduled to last two days, according to Lebanese officials who spoke to the Reuters news agency.

The discussions follow a meeting held in Washington, DC on June 26th, which resulted in an agreement calling for an end to Israel’s war on Lebanon. Key points of the agreement include the disarmament of armed groups—likely referring to Hezbollah—the deployment of Lebanese troops to southern Lebanon, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. The June 26th agreement also identified two zones in southern Lebanon as initial areas for implementation.

Beirut is hopeful for progress toward securing the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from these two designated areas. The Lebanese presidency stated that President Joseph Aoun instructed the Lebanese delegation to demand this withdrawal before engaging in further discussions with the Israeli delegation.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on Monday, July 13th, that Italy had offered to host the talks to advance efforts toward a genuine ceasefire in Lebanon. One official noted that holding the talks in Rome facilitates easier consultation between the delegations and their respective governments during negotiations.

Despite these developments, expectations for swift progress remain low.

Sources