Rome talks to focus on Israel\u2019s southern Lebanon withdrawal, says US official
\n WASHINGTON
\nThe US State Department confirmed that the next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon will be held in Rome on August 4 through 6, as Israel prepares to withdraw from two \u201cpilot zones\u201d in southern Lebanon.
\nItalian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani first announced the next round of US-mediated talks last week, with a State Department official detailing the talks to AFP on the condition of anonymity.
\n\u201cIn Rome, technical groups will focus on advancing the full implementation of the framework agreement,\u201d the official told AFP, adding that the planned discussion \u201cincludes expanding the pilot zone process, resolving all outstanding border issues, and working on a comprehensive peace and security agreement.\u201d
\nThe Israel-Lebanon framework deal emerged after war broke out between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah on March 2, against the backdrop of the wider Middle East war.
\nIt calls for an end to the war in Lebanon, disarmament of the Lebanese movement, the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south, and for Israeli forces to steadily withdraw from the country in two \u201cpilot zones.\u201d
\n\u201cThe experience of the initial zones will help us perfect pilot-zone implementation so it can expand in a phased manner,\u201d the US official added. Lebanon\u00b4s army on Sunday condemned Israel\u00b4s ongoing military operations in the south of the country, arguing it was preventing its full deployment under the framework deal.
\nBeirut has reported intermittent Israeli strikes and artillery shelling on the south despite the lull in fighting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rome talks to focus on Israel\u2019s southern Lebanon withdrawal, says US official WASHINGTON The US State Department confirmed that the next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon will be held in Rome on August 4 through 6, as Israel prepares to withdraw from two \u201cpilot zones\u201d in southern Lebanon. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":558930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-558904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n