Israel and Lebanon resumed direct negotiations in Rome on Tuesday at the U.S. embassy, seeking to advance a framework deal reached in Washington last month aimed at ending the war between the two countries.
The talks, hosted at Italy's offer, opened Tuesday morning and are scheduled to continue through Wednesday. Lebanon's presidency has instructed its delegation to demand an immediate Israeli withdrawal from two designated areas in the south before further discussions proceed. The June 26 framework calls for Lebanese army deployment to the south, disarmament of armed groups, and a progressive Israeli pullout.
Hezbollah has rejected the agreement and any effort to disarm it, while Israel maintains its troops will remain as long as the group retains weapons. Israeli forces currently occupy a buffer zone roughly 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory. Since the conflict reignited in March, more than 4,000 Lebanese have been killed and over a million displaced.