Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington extended to Friday

The US State Department announced that the fifth round of talks between Lebanon and Israel, which began this week in Washington, will resume on Friday morning. The department stated, "The talks between Israel and Lebanon remain ongoing as we continue to facilitate this process." Lebanese media reported that the extension came after negotiations stalled over the so-called "model areas" intended to provide a practical framework for any future understanding. Lebanon has insisted that any such area remain confined to occupied Lebanese territory, while the Israeli side has pushed to extend the experiment north of the Litani River.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly intervened directly once Washington learned the talks had stalled. The dispute has reportedly exposed a rift between Lebanon's military and political delegations, according to Al Mayadeen. Al Akhbar reported that the Lebanese Army delegation rejected expanding the pilot zones beyond occupied territory and refused direct coordination between the Lebanese and Israeli armies. This prompted Rubio's intervention and subsequently the sidelining of the military delegation in favor of the political delegation led by Ambassadors Simon Karam and Nada Mouawad, who were left to advance a draft "declaration of intent."

That draft reportedly links any Israeli withdrawal to a Lebanese commitment to disarm Hezbollah across the entire country, not only south of the Litani. Hezbollah has pushed back on the trajectory of the talks. Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has reiterated that the Resistance will not accept handing over its weapons except in areas south of the Litani, and has said that what Israel failed to achieve militarily, including in the Ali al-Taher area, will not be obtained through negotiation.

According to Mehr News, the talks continue as the US facilitates the process.