Lebanon and Israel begin negotiations in Rome for Israeli withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah

Lebanon and Israel are embarking on a new two-day round of negotiations, brokered by the US, in the Italian capital, Rome. The main focus of the talks is the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Italy is also providing diplomatic support to this process, which aims to reduce tensions between the two countries and establish a mechanism for the transfer of occupied territories to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

At the center of the negotiations is the gradual handover of "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, currently under Israeli military control, to the Lebanese army. Israel and the US condition the transfer of these zones on the prior disarmament of Hezbollah. However, Hezbollah, which is excluded from the negotiations, refuses to accept its own disarmament as a condition for withdrawal.

The parties are expected to establish three separate commissions during the talks in Rome to monitor technical, security, and military issues. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun emphasized that the document signed in Washington is not a definitive peace agreement but merely a negotiation framework. Additionally, the Lebanese leader announced that he will travel to Washington at the end of July to discuss the process directly.