Next round of Israel-Lebanon talks to take place in early September, official says

WASHINGTON — The next round of US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place in early September, an official familiar with the matter tells The Times of Israel.

The official acknowledges that last week’s round of talks in Rome did not go very smoothly, as Beirut is pushing for additional Israeli withdrawals from southern Lebanon while Jerusalem argues that verification of Hezbollah disarmament must be completed first.

In the weeks leading up to the next round, the US is pushing the sides to agree on a list of countries that will take part in the verification mechanism, with Israel rejecting the inclusion of countries that have sought to act against it in international forums, the official says.

The sides are also holding side negotiations on the identification and return of remains of Lebanese and Israeli Jews in exchange for Lebanese detainees, the official adds.