Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, announced that the sixth round of talks between Lebanon and Israel will be held on July 15 and 16 in the Italian capital, Rome, indicating that the meeting will be held at the ambassadorial level.
Leiter said, during a meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will meet US President Donald Trump on July 21, according to what was reported by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
This comes after Lebanon signed, on June 26, a tripartite framework agreement with the United States and Israel, in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following the fifth round of direct negotiations held in Washington.
The agreement stipulates the implementation of two experimental zones that include an Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese army, and the disarmament of non-state armed groups, in reference to Hezbollah.
The security track between Lebanon and Israel was launched at the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) on May 29, with the participation of military delegations from both sides.
In this context, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam discussed, on Monday, with Army Commander General Rudolf Heikal preparations for implementing the framework agreement signed in Washington, especially the start of Israel’s withdrawal from the experimental areas, according to a statement issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
It is noteworthy that the agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv sparked an internal division in Lebanon between supporters and opponents.
