The negotiations between Lebanon and Israel continued for the third consecutive day at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, concluding around 4 p.m.
Sources from Baabda reported that the Rome talks successfully addressed the 'third party' file, agreeing on a shortlist of candidates for this role. They also decided to seek a new UN Security Council resolution that would guide the period following the end of the UNIFIL mission. Additionally, participants suggested September 1st as a preliminary date for the next round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, pending further communications and preparations.
Conversely, the discussions yielded no final results on experimental zones, as the Lebanese delegation insisted on transitioning to new model areas within the implementation phases of the agreements.
On the military front, Baabda sources clarified that the meetings resulted in an agreement on key terms and reference concepts that will manage the coordination mechanics among the three parties, paving a unified framework for future execution stages.
Sources from Baabda indicated the start of serious discussions on model zones, noting that the Israeli side requested a detailed presentation on these areas to understand their geographical and other contextual circumstances better.
However, no progress occurred concerning model zones, mainly due to political focus, with the Lebanese delegation having various plans, including propositions involving the town of Zoutr El-Sharqieh.
The negotiations included three parallel meetings: military, political, and a legal boundary meeting.
The prisoner file discussion was divided into two parts: the international law concerning prisoners and the exchange of prisoner lists, which poses a challenge for Lebanon due to its lack of such lists.
During the military meeting, technical discussions addressed military technicalities and terminologies.
The Rome negotiations were delayed by an hour due to U.S. reasons, and the southern escalation was not directly addressed in Rome but through the established mechanism since October 27th.
Baabda sources revealed a positive approach to the prisoner issue, with efforts to involve the International Red Cross.
Earlier in the day, the press reported that the Lebanese delegation would begin the Rome negotiations by highlighting attacks on Lebanese towns, particularly Tyre, outside the yellow zone. One Lebanese delegate monitored yesterday's attacks closely, specifically targeting Al-Burj Al-Shamali in Tyre.
Other insights suggest the Lebanese-Israeli talks today will focus on the prisoner file, with Lebanon demanding an expansion of experimental zones. The Lebanese delegation also anticipates an Israeli response regarding the confirmation of the ceasefire, noting progress on boundary discussions in the Rome negotiations.