Israel, Lebanon to hold talks in Rome in mid-July

ROME – Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors are due to hold direct talks in Rome in July, Italy’s foreign ministry said on July 7, after several rounds of discussions in Washington aimed at de-escalation.

“We welcome with pleasure the announcement that the next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon mediated by the US will take place in Rome,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on social media platform X.

A ministry spokesman said the talks would take place at the ambassador level on July 15 and 16.

This round of talks will be the sixth since spring between the two neighbours, which do not have diplomatic relations and are technically in a state of war.

The two countries and the US signed a framework agreement in June aimed at “lasting peace”, five days after the entry into force of a fragile ceasefire in the fighting between the Israeli army and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah that has been going on since March 2.

This framework agreement stipulates that the Lebanese army will restore its authority in the south of the country, subject to Hezbollah’s disarmament, starting with “pilot zones” from which the Israeli army would withdraw.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the regional war on March 2 by attacking Israel, claiming it was acting in retaliation for the death of Iran’s supreme leader, killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb 28.

Israel responded with a large-scale bombing campaign and a ground offensive, while repeatedly calling for the evacuation of entire areas of southern Lebanon.

Israeli operations have killed nearly 4,300 people, according to Beirut. AFP