The round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel scheduled to take place in Rome next week has been postponed to October, a US official confirmed Friday, as work continues to implement the framework agreement reached by the two sides in June.
Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to meet in Washington
The official said Lebanese Ambassador Nada Maawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter would meet at the US State Department in Washington next week, despite the talks not taking place as scheduled. He added that the meeting would address current developments and continue implementing the framework agreement, describing it as the only viable mechanism for restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty and Israel’s security.
A source familiar with the preparations attributed the postponement to several factors that prevented key figures from participating, including preparations for the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly, Jewish holidays and the Paris conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Proposed force to verify the withdrawal from areas
The sixth round resulted in a preliminary agreement to designate two test areas as the starting point for implementing the Israeli withdrawal, while Hezbollah has repeatedly announced its rejection of the talks and called on the Lebanese government to halt them. The postponement came a day after Israel announced the destruction of what it said was a Hezbollah tunnel network beneath the Ali al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon, amid intensified strikes on the area.
The Lebanese army announced Wednesday that it had recorded about 7700 Israeli violations since the framework agreement was signed on June 26, warning that the continued violations threatened the existing understandings and arrangements.
