Ahead of the sixth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, set to take place Tuesday and Wednesday in Rome, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter said Israel is continuing to promote the “pilot zones” plan in southern Lebanon, but any further progress and IDF withdrawal will depend on dismantling Hezbollah’s presence on the ground.
According to Leiter, the United States and Lebanon are working to prepare the conditions for launching the pilot zones.
The Rome talks will be held at the level of Israel’s and Lebanon’s ambassadors to the U.S., and for the first time will not include military representatives. Lebanon’s government wants to accelerate Israel’s withdrawal and demonstrate control over broader civilian areas inside the country, while Israel wants to see more thorough Lebanese army activity in areas where it deploys to dismantle Hezbollah.
Because of the gaps between the sides, the current round in Rome is expected to serve as a bridge-building meeting ahead of a larger session with expanded teams next month.
Officials familiar with the contacts said the Rome round will focus on reviewing progress in the pilot zones mechanism, expanding the Lebanese army’s deployment in the south and continuing security coordination under American mediation. The talks come as Washington works to stabilize the northern border and reduce Hezbollah and Iranian influence in Lebanon.
In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Leiter said the understandings reached between Israel and Lebanon are meant to remove Iran from the equation.
“What the agreement with Lebanon does is completely remove Iran from the paradigm,” Leiter said. “Iran is not to be involved in Lebanon. They have no business in Lebanon. Hezbollah has no business in Lebanon. As a matter of fact, Israel and Lebanon are on the same page. We want Hezbollah out for our security and for their sovereignty.”
Yechiel Leiter
(Photo: REUTERS/Ken Cedeno)
The ambassador said Israel is prepared to withdraw once Hezbollah is dismantled. “We can withdraw the moment that Hezbollah is dismantled,” he said. “If Hezbollah is not dismantled, then we have to stay in our security zone because we’re not going to go back to a situation where our citizens are going to be threatened by an Iranian proxy firing missiles and building tunnels so they can attack, like Hamas did October 7.”
Asked about the two pilot zones that Israel is expected to withdraw from under U.S. oversight, Leiter said preparations were underway.
“We’re working together with CENTCOM and the Lebanese Armed Forces to create the conditions so that we can actually move into a situation where the pilot zones are receptive to Lebanese Armed Forces,” he said. “If they’re not going to be receptive, if Hezbollah is going to stay there, we haven’t accomplished anything, and that’s why they’re called pilot zones. If it works, then we continue the withdrawal. If it doesn’t work, then we stay where we are.”
Asked whether the pilot zone withdrawals would happen soon, Leiter said: “I certainly hope they’re planned for the next few weeks. We’re working on that together with CENTCOM.” He added that the Rome talks would continue, though his own attendance could depend on the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese diplomatic source familiar with the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday that “the Lebanese army is ready to gradually take control of the villages from which the IDF withdraws.”
The source’s comments came after the Lebanese presidency said Monday that the delegation had been instructed to demand the immediate start of an Israeli withdrawal from two pilot zones before any further discussion.