Lebanese official reports improved atmosphere on 2nd day of talks with Israel

The atmosphere during the second day of the seventh round of indirect talks between Lebanon and Israel in Rome improved, a senior Lebanese official told Anadolu on Wednesday.

The official added that the US had responded positively to Lebanon’s proposal on the border issue.

“The atmosphere on the second day was much better than on the first,” the official said.

Washington gave positive feedback on Lebanon’s presentation, but Beirut is still awaiting a response from Israel’s political leadership on renewing the ceasefire and halting Israeli violations, the official added.

The negotiations continued amid fresh Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon.

According to Lebanon’s state news agency, Israeli drones flew over Beirut, its southern suburbs and the southern city of Tyre, while warplanes conducted mock air raids and struck the Mansouri area, south of Tyre, twice.

Israeli forces also shelled the outskirts of Majdal Zoun, dropped illumination flares over the heights of Kfarrumman and carried out a drone strike on the southern town of Tebnine, injuring several people, sparking fires and triggering an explosion.

Border issue

The Lebanese official said Wednesday’s talks consisted of three parallel meetings covering political, military and border issues, with discussions conducted in greater depth than on the opening day.

The Lebanese delegation expanded its presentation on the border issue, submitting what the official described as “conclusive documents” tracing the evolution of the frontier from the 1949 Armistice Line through the UN-demarcated Blue Line to the current situation.

The delegation, comprising military officers and experts, presented maps, documents and evidence drawn from UN archives and other sources covering the evolution of the border from 1923 to the present, the official said.

The US side gave a “positive assessment” of the Lebanese presentation, with discussions set to continue in future rounds, according to the official.

Pilot areas

On the military track, discussions focused on implementing “pilot areas” under the US-sponsored framework agreement signed on June 26, which provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory beginning with trial zones.

The talks covered practical arrangements in existing pilot areas near Froun and Zawtar, while Khiam and Bint Jbeil were discussed as potential future pilot areas, the official said.

Israel has yet to communicate its position on including the two towns in the plan, the official added.

Political track

On the political track, discussions focused on selecting a third party to oversee monitoring and verification, with several countries expressing readiness to assume the role, the official said.

Lebanon also renewed its call for restoring the ceasefire, ending Israeli violations and regulating activity in southern Lebanon, describing them as core issues in the negotiations.

Prisoner issue

The official said the prisoner issue would be discussed later Wednesday if time permitted. Otherwise, it would be taken up Thursday, the third and final day of the Rome talks.

Overall, the second day of negotiations was “relatively positive” and “much better” than the first, the official said, while noting that Beirut was still awaiting clearer positions from Israel, particularly at the political level.

The seventh round of indirect talks is being held in Rome under US sponsorship to address outstanding political, military and border issues between Lebanon and Israel following the framework agreement signed in June.