ROME, Italy: Israel and Lebanon will hold a new round of US-mediated talks in Rome next week as the two sides seek to advance negotiations on a framework agreement to ease tensions along their shared border.
The talks, scheduled for July 15 and 16, will bring together Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors and mark the sixth round of negotiations between the neighbouring countries since the spring, according to Italy’s foreign ministry.
“We welcome with pleasure the announcement that the next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon mediated by the US will take place in Rome,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X on Tuesday.
Roma crocevia di pace e del dialogo.
Accogliamo con grande favore l’annuncio che la prossima tornata dei colloqui tra Israele e Libano, facilitati dagli Stati Uniti, si terrà a Roma.
Lo scorso aprile avevo comunicato ai Governi libanese ed israeliano la disponibilità… pic.twitter.com/f3oTLQsv4r— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) July 7, 2026
A spokesman for Italy’s foreign ministry said the discussions would be held at ambassador level over two days in the Italian capital.
Sixth round of negotiations
The Rome meeting follows several rounds of discussions held in Washington as the United States seeks to reduce tensions between Israel and Lebanon.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter confirmed on Monday that the talks would take place in Rome, saying specialised teams would participate to address outstanding issues.
“Next week we’re sitting (down) in Rome, (on July) 14th and 15th,” Leiter told the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.
“Now we’re bringing teams for each issue,” he said.
Leiter acknowledged that major disagreements remained but expressed optimism about the negotiations.
“There’s certainly points of contention that have to be worked out, and that’s why we need this time and working groups to actually sit down and work together over these contending points to reach that full-fledged agreement,” he said.
Framework agreement
The upcoming talks follow the signing of a US-mediated framework agreement on June 26, which the three parties described as a step towards achieving a “lasting peace”, five days after a fragile ceasefire came into effect.
Under the agreement, the Lebanese army would gradually restore its authority across southern Lebanon, beginning with designated “pilot zones” from which Israeli forces would withdraw.
The agreement also provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. It links further Israeli withdrawals to the Lebanese army assuming security responsibilities and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Lebanese officials described the agreement as a “first step” towards restoring state authority across the country and enabling displaced residents to return to their homes.
Hezbollah, however, rejected the agreement, calling it “null and void” and saying that tying an Israeli withdrawal to its disarmament crossed “all red lines”.
