BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanon and Israel will hold their next round of US-brokered talks in Italy on August 4, a Lebanese official said on Wednesday, as the two countries begin implementing a framework agreement providing for phased Israeli troop withdrawals and the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon.
The ambassador-level negotiations, which have been taking place for more than three months, are aimed at reaching a permanent end to hostilities after a new conflict erupted on March 2 between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
The direct meetings are rare as Lebanon and Israel have never established normal diplomatic relations after decades of invasions, military occupation and cross-border conflict.
According to the Lebanese official, cited by Reuters, the next round of negotiations will take place in Italy on August 4 as both sides continue discussions on implementing the agreement reached during five rounds of US-hosted talks.
Lebanon-Israel framework agreement
The five meetings, mediated by the United States, produced a framework agreement late last month that provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, the deployment of Lebanese troops and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
The ambassador-level negotiations have since moved to the Italian capital, where the delegations are discussing the technical details and operational guidelines for the pilot zones, the geographical areas where the phased implementation process will begin.
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The first Israeli withdrawal under the pilot zone programme took place this week.
Israeli forces withdrew from the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, after which the Lebanese army began deploying troops in the area.
However, the army urged residents to delay returning to the town until it had been cleared of unexploded ordnance.
Lebanon seeks full Israeli withdrawal
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh on Wednesday and planted the Lebanese flag in the town, pledging that the government would reopen roads, clear rubble and restore public services to facilitate the return of displaced residents.
Salam described the Israeli withdrawal as an important first step but reiterated that Lebanon’s objective remained the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese territory.
Israel continues to occupy what it describes as a security buffer zone extending around 10 kilometres inside southern Lebanon along the border.
Lebanese security sources said Israeli forces have continued carrying out demolitions despite a ceasefire that came into force last month.
Tens of thousands of Lebanese remain displaced because their villages are either still occupied by Israeli troops or have been destroyed during the conflict.
During his first official visit to Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said a full Israeli withdrawal could remove the principal justification Hezbollah has long cited for retaining its weapons.
