Israel and Lebanon to hold new round of talks in Rome next week

Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold a new round of direct negotiations in Rome next week to establish mechanisms for monitoring disputed areas, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Thursday, as diplomatic efforts to implement the June 26 framework agreement continue amid rising tensions over ongoing Israeli violations.

Rome talks aim to establish monitoring force

The talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday aim to "build the force" that would verify whether pilot areas have been cleared of Hezbollah presence, KAN said. Washington is seeking to expand the zones from which Israeli forces would withdraw and transfer control to the Lebanese army. Beirut had not issued an immediate comment on the reported new round as of Thursday evening.

Lebanese army reports thousands of violations

The Lebanese army stated Wednesday that it has recorded 7,700 Israeli violations since the framework agreement was signed on June 26, warning that the continuation of such breaches threatens existing understandings. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have persisted despite the accord, which provides for a gradual withdrawal from all occupied territory in return for the deployment of Lebanese forces there. Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023-2024 war, while expanding its presence inside Lebanese territory during its ongoing assault.

Pilot areas and Hezbollah opposition

The two sides have held seven rounds of negotiations since April 14 — five in Washington and the last two in Rome — with Hezbollah repeatedly rejecting the talks and urging the government to halt them. The sixth round produced a preliminary agreement to designate two "pilot areas" to begin implementing the Israeli withdrawal. The "framework formula" provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory, starting with a model in these two zones.