Lebanon and Israel remained divided over Hezbollah’s disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon as US-brokered talks entered their second day in Rome on Wednesday, with a senior Lebanese official saying the discussions were unlikely to produce further Israeli pullbacks at this stage, reports Al Jazeera.
The negotiations, aimed at strengthening a fragile ceasefire and advancing a framework agreement reached in June, mark the second day of the second round of talks in Rome and the seventh session overall after five previous meetings in Washington.
The main dispute centres on whether Hezbollah must disarm before Israel withdraws from the south. A senior Lebanese official told the Anadolu news agency that Tuesday’s talks were divided into political and military tracks.
During the political session, Lebanon presented its position on border issues, while the military discussions focused on mechanisms to verify security arrangements, including Israel’s withdrawal and Hezbollah’s weapons.
The official said Lebanon had yet to receive a response from Israel’s political leadership regarding its commitment to the ceasefire. However, for the first time, the Israeli delegation moved away from its previous demand that discussions on Hezbollah’s disarmament must come before talks on border issues, the official said.
A major issue in the negotiations is Ali Taher Hill, a strategic location near Nabatieh that Israel says contains a Hezbollah command centre and underground weapons facilities. Israel wants the Lebanese army to take control of the area and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure there as part of several proposed “pilot zones”.
Beirut has argued that there are currently no Israeli forces stationed there that can be replaced by Lebanese troops. The talks also considered appointing a third party to verify Israel’s withdrawal and monitor the Lebanese army’s deployment in areas being handed over. Some reports have suggested Italy could play that role.
Lebanon proposed that the next pilot zone should be established in Khiam or Bint Jbeil, the Lebanese official said. Under the arrangement, the Lebanese army would assume full security responsibility, including preventing Hezbollah’s return, in exchange for a limited Israeli withdrawal.
A previous round of talks in Rome resulted in an agreement for Israel to withdraw from the outskirts of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh. Lebanese forces later deployed there, allowing residents to return after survey and clearance operations.
Lebanon has also called on Israel to stop extensive demolitions and bombardments in the south. The latest such attack last week targeted areas near the historic Beaufort Castle.
Al Jazeera correspondent Zeina Khodr, reporting from Nabatieh, said the latest Rome talks were unlikely to result in additional Israeli withdrawals from southern Lebanon, noting that Israeli officials had repeatedly indicated such a position.
“Lebanon has little leverage,” Khodr said, adding that Beirut was depending on US support because “the balance of power is in Israel’s favour”.
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the negotiations focused on improving implementation of the June framework agreement, including the pilot-zone system, verification of Hezbollah’s disarmament, addressing security threats linked to Iran, and the redeployment of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
The talks have also intensified divisions inside Lebanon, where public opinion remains deeply split over the agreement.
Residents in southern Lebanon have expressed anger towards Hezbollah for reopening a front in March, while many also distrust Israel, accusing it of pursuing expansionist aims and continuing demolitions of homes, Khodr said.
Others support an agreement that could end repeated conflicts in a country struggling with a severely damaged economy. Hezbollah, which is not participating in the negotiations, has said it will withdraw its forces from areas south of the Litani River but will not surrender its weapons north of the river, where Ali Taher Hill is located.
The group’s leader, Naim Qassem, urged the Lebanese government to stop making what he described as “concessions”.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, meanwhile, accused Hezbollah of pulling Lebanon into “absurd” wars.
Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks since March have killed 4,333 people and forced more than one million people to flee their homes.
