Israel won’t agree to more southern Lebanon withdrawals in Rome talks — report

Israel has told mediators that it will not agree to additional withdrawals from territory in southern Lebanon in Rome talks scheduled for next week, Channel 12 reports.

Israel’s focus in Rome will be on maintaining the freedom to re-enter areas it handed over to the Lebanese army last week, should it need to deal with Hezbollah threats, according to the report. Israel won’t agree to withdraw from any more territory without that agreement on freedom of action.

Last month’s deal called for the Lebanese military to deploy in areas in southern Lebanon where the Hezbollah terror group had a military presence and influence, paving the way for Israel to withdraw from its declared security zone in the south, dependent on Hezbollah disarmament.

Until Hezbollah is disarmed, Israel also won’t agree to any future withdrawals at all south of the so-called “yellow line” it established marking the Israeli buffer zone in southern Lebanon, according to the report.

“The additional areas will not be on our side, in the defense lines that we have stabilized,” says an Israeli official. “If the current pilot is successful and additional pilot areas are decided upon later, they will be beyond the yellow line. We will not allow further withdrawals of the area on our side. Until Hezbollah is disarmed in Lebanon –- that is what was agreed upon.”

Technical teams from each side will meet from August 4 to August 6 and focus on advancing the implementation of the framework agreement for an eventual peace deal between Israel and Lebanon.