Israel-Lebanon Rome Talks Delayed Until October, US Official Says

The next round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Rome has been postponed until October, a US official said Friday, delaying talks that Washington had expected to take place in early September.

Although the Rome meeting will not proceed as planned, the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors are due to meet at the US State Department in Washington next week to discuss “ongoing developments and the continued implementation” of a framework agreement reached in June, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The so-called Trilateral Framework calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, initially through designated “pilot zones.”

The US official said Friday that the framework “remains the only viable mechanism to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and Israel’s security.”

Tensions have risen sharply in recent days after a period of relative calm. Hezbollah entered the conflict after the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in late February, firing missiles at Israel.

Violence had eased following an understanding reached between Iran and the United States in June and a subsequent agreement between Lebanon and Israel. However, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have intensified in recent days.

The delay was announced a day after Israel destroyed Hezbollah tunnels in southern Lebanon. The blast was large enough to be recorded by the US Geological Survey as equivalent to a 4.1-magnitude earthquake.

A source familiar with the planning told AFP that several factors made it impossible for key participants to attend the Rome talks. These included preparations for the upcoming UN General Assembly, Jewish holidays and a Paris conference aimed at supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces.