Lebanon and Israel will hold the next round of US-mediated talks in Italy on August 4. A Lebanese official announced that the two countries have begun implementing the plan, which envisages Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area.
The two countries, which are officially at war, have been holding direct talks for more than three months aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire following the clashes that erupted between Israel and Hezbollah in March. These ambassador-level meetings between countries that have no normal diplomatic relations due to decades of occupation, military intervention and cross-border conflicts are considered an unusual development.
After five meetings hosted by the US, a framework agreement was reached at the end of last month. The agreement calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area.
The talks later moved to the Italian capital Rome, where the delegations are working on the technical details and guidelines for the pilot areas, the geographical zones where the phased process will be implemented.
First Israeli withdrawal takes place
The first Israeli withdrawal under the pilot area program took place this week. Israeli forces left the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese army began deploying troops to the area. However, officials postponed the return of residents until the town is cleared of unexploded ordnance.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh on Wednesday and planted the Lebanese flag there. Salam said the state would work to reopen roads, remove debris and restore public services so that residents can return to their homes.
Salam stressed that the Israeli withdrawal was an important first step, but that Lebanon wants Israel's full withdrawal from all Lebanese territory.
Israel continues to occupy an area it describes as a buffer zone about 10 kilometers deep inside Lebanon along the border. Israeli troops ordered local residents in this area to leave and razed villages to the ground. Israeli officials argue that this zone is necessary to protect communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks.
Despite the ceasefire that came into effect last month, controlled demolitions are continuing, Lebanese security sources reported. Tens of thousands of Lebanese remain displaced, unable to return to their homes because their villages are occupied or destroyed by Israeli troops.
Israeli officials stated that they will remain in southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains armed. Hezbollah, for its part, rejected the Lebanese government's direct talks with Israel and did not agree to full disarmament.
During his first official visit to Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon 'could remove the main reason Hezbollah has long cited as justification.' Aoun stated that only then could Hezbollah be disarmed.
