Lebanon proposes: Bint Jbeil and Al-Khiam to become "pilot zones"
Beirut has requested to expand the "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon to include two cities of symbolic and geographical importance. Israel has yet to respond to the proposal, and the focus of the talks in Rome remains on questions of the border, monitoring, and the removal of Hezbollah infrastructure from the area.
Lebanon has proposed, within the framework of negotiations with Israel in Rome, to expand the "pilot zone" mechanism in the south of the country to include the cities of Bint Jbeil and Al-Khiam, the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported today. According to sources, the choice of the two cities stems from their geographical location, their symbolic importance, and the large number of residents who are still unable to return to their homes.
The proposal was raised on the first day of the seventh round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, held in the Italian capital. The US State Department confirmed that the talks opened on Tuesday, August 4, and are expected to continue until Thursday. Washington defined the goal of the talks as achieving lasting security for both countries, removing security threats to Israel, and restoring the Lebanese state's control over southern Lebanon.
According to reports in the Lebanese media, the talks split into two tracks: a political track dealing with the land border, and a military track discussing the monitoring and verification mechanism. The Lebanese delegation requested to rely on the 1949 armistice agreement, the Blue Line, and data existing on the ground. Lebanese sources claimed that the Israeli delegation expressed for the first time a willingness to discuss the re-demarcation of the recognized border between the countries.
At the center of the military discussions is the identity of the "third party" that will verify that the territory from which Israel will withdraw is free of weapons and Hezbollah infrastructure, before transferring it to the full responsibility of the Lebanese Army. Lebanese sources stated that the United States is not expected to carry out the monitoring mission itself, and that other countries are being examined for the role.
Israel has not yet provided an official response to the proposal regarding Bint Jbeil and Al-Khiam. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, an Israeli political source estimated that the political situation in Israel and the elections to the Knesset make it difficult to achieve progress that would lead to a significant Israeli withdrawal.
In Lebanon, it is claimed that the atmosphere on the second day is more positive; however, at this stage, no joint statement has been published, and there is no Israeli or American confirmation of the claim that agreements have been reached on expanding the pilot zones or on the monitoring mechanism.
