Israel, Lebanon Open Rome Talks on Hezbollah Disarmament and Israeli Withdrawal

U.S.-mediated negotiations center on transferring Southern Lebanon to Lebanese army control while dismantling the Iranian proxy’s military presence

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

ROME (Worthy News) – Israeli and Lebanese delegations began a new round of U.S.-mediated talks in Rome on Tuesday, seeking to implement a framework agreement that could lead to Hezbollah’s disarmament and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon.

The two-day negotiations are being held at the U.S. Embassy in the Italian capital following five rounds of direct talks in Washington. Those discussions produced a 14-point trilateral framework agreement on June 26 aimed at ending months of fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The Rome meetings are expected to focus on establishing “pilot zones” where the Lebanese Armed Forces would take control from Israeli troops, dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, and prevent other armed groups from operating outside the authority of the Lebanese government.

Israeli forces currently maintain a security zone extending approximately six miles into Lebanon along the border. Israel has made clear that any withdrawal will depend on whether Lebanon can remove the Iran-backed terrorist organization and prevent it from rebuilding its missile sites, tunnels, and attack positions.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, who is leading Jerusalem’s delegation, said Israel could begin withdrawing as soon as Hezbollah is dismantled in the designated areas.

“We can withdraw the moment that Hezbollah is dismantled,” Leiter told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “If Hezbollah is not dismantled, then we have to stay in our security zone.”

Leiter said both Israel and Lebanon have an interest in ending Iran’s domination of the country, describing Hezbollah’s removal as essential both for Israel’s security and Lebanon’s sovereignty.

“What the agreement with Lebanon does is completely remove Iran from the paradigm,” he said, adding that the two governments are “on the same page” in wanting Hezbollah pushed out of Southern Lebanon.

The United States military’s Central Command has been working with Israeli and Lebanese officials to establish the pilot zones. A CENTCOM delegation traveled to Lebanon over the weekend for technical discussions with the Lebanese army concerning troop deployments, security verification, and the transfer of territory.

Under the proposed process, Lebanese forces would enter each designated area after Hezbollah’s weapons and infrastructure are removed. Israeli troops would then withdraw, allowing the model to be expanded gradually across Southern Lebanon if the initial zones remain secure.

The agreement faces fierce resistance from Hezbollah, which has rejected calls to surrender its weapons and warned against attempts by the Lebanese government to enforce the framework. The terror group has long operated as an Iranian-backed military force independent of the Lebanese state, maintaining an arsenal that has repeatedly been used against Israel.

Fighting resumed along the border after Hezbollah renewed rocket and drone attacks against Israel on March 2. Israel subsequently launched an extensive campaign against the organization’s commanders, weapons depots, missile systems, and cross-border attack infrastructure.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has pledged to restore the state’s authority and prevent Hezbollah from dragging Lebanon into another devastating conflict. The success of the Rome talks will depend largely on whether the Lebanese government and army can overcome the terrorist organization’s resistance and establish exclusive control over the country’s southern territory.

For Israel, the central issue remains unchanged: Jerusalem will not return its northern communities to a border dominated by an Iranian proxy capable of launching another Oct. 7-style invasion.

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