Report: US-mediated Lebanon-Israel talks to address possible Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon

A new round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel is expected to focus on the possibility of a gradual Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon, according to a report by the Israeli news website Walla.

The talks, scheduled to begin in Washington on Tuesday under US mediation, will mark the fifth round of discussions between the two sides since negotiations began in April.

According to Walla, citing unnamed Israeli sources, participants are expected to discuss a phased Israeli withdrawal from areas in southern Lebanon that Israeli officials believe do not pose an immediate security threat to communities along the border.

The report said Israeli officials are considering withdrawing from positions that “do not allow for direct fire towards Israeli territory” as part of a broader effort to reach a security arrangement.

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Last week, the US State Department confirmed that Lebanese and Israeli representatives would meet in Washington from Tuesday through Thursday as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to address security issues along the border.

Walla reported that the discussions are expected to include what it described as a pilot framework for a potential settlement on the ground.

The website quoted unnamed Israeli security officials as saying that the White House has not exerted significant pressure on Israel regarding a withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

According to those officials, Washington continues to show understanding of Israeli concerns about security threats posed by Hezbollah near the border.

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