Lebanese-Israeli Negotiations in Washington: Disagreements Over Withdrawal Maps and Pace

SadaNews - Israel and Lebanon are discussing, in the fifth round of ongoing talks in Washington under U.S. sponsorship, arrangements related to the start of an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, amid disagreements over the withdrawal pace and the areas that will be included in this step, while Tel Aviv continues to insist on maintaining its military presence in southern Lebanon.

This was reported by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation ("Kan 11") on Wednesday evening, noting that the second day of the current negotiation round that began on Tuesday is being held at the U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon), where the two sides are discussing maps of field deployment and mechanisms for the start of the Israeli withdrawal.

It reported that disagreements have emerged since the first day regarding the speed of withdrawal and the areas from which Israeli forces might withdraw, indicating that the talks are heading towards an Israeli withdrawal from some areas, without encompassing all the areas occupied by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

Rubio Confirms Discussion of "Experimental Areas" Under Lebanese Army Control

In this context, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that one of the issues on the table during negotiations involves the establishment of "experimental areas" in southern Lebanon, to be controlled and secured by the Lebanese army before moving to other areas.

According to the newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth," Rubio stated that the idea is based on designating certain areas "for the Lebanese army to enter, take control of, and secure, and then move to the next area."

He added that the United States hopes that the Lebanese army and the Lebanese government can expand their control over more territory, considering that "the entity that should control Lebanon is the legitimate Lebanese government, not Hezbollah."

Rubio stated that the reduction of the Israeli presence in Lebanon is linked to the Lebanese army's ability to take over security responsibility, adding that this process "will be gradual" and will require time.

Israeli Commitment to Remain in Positions in Southern Lebanon

In parallel with the negotiations, the newspaper mentioned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed members of the Cabinet's small council for political and security affairs (the security cabinet) during a session held last week that he emphasized in his conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump what he described as Israeli "red lines" in Lebanon.

According to the newspaper, Netanyahu assured Trump that Israel intends to continue to hold certain positions in southern Lebanon, including the Shqiif area (Boufor), stating to the U.S. President: "I will do what you would have done to defend your citizens."

The newspaper also reported that Netanyahu had separate calls during the session with American officials, one of which lasted for an extended period, later informing the ministers that he spoke with Trump and congratulated him on his birthday.

Four Files Between Israel and the United States

According to "Yedioth Ahronoth," Israeli National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra presented to the cabinet four main files that Netanyahu is discussing with the U.S. administration.

These files include maintaining what is referred to as the Israeli "yellow line" in Lebanon, coordination with Washington regarding potential Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in the event Israel deems it has violated the ceasefire, mechanisms to respond to any Iranian attack against Israel, in addition to the stance on the Iranian nuclear program, particularly the demand for "zero enrichment" of uranium.

Anticipated Visit from CENTCOM Commander

Amid these developments, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper is set to arrive in Israel on Thursday, during which he will hold talks with Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Security Minister Israel Katz.

"Yedioth Ahronoth" reported that discussions will address developments related to Iran and Lebanon, security and strategic coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv, along with intelligence assessments related to Hezbollah and developments along the Lebanese border.

Israeli Concern over Trump's Statements on Syria

Concurrently, Netanyahu held a special session on Wednesday evening to discuss the Syrian file and its implications for Lebanon, following statements from Trump discussing the possibility for Syrian authorities to play a role in addressing the Lebanese file.

Reports indicated that the Israeli political and security establishment views with concern the potential for Damascus to be granted an increasing role in the Lebanese arena, amid the growing rapprochement between Washington and Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, along with potential new regional arrangements.