THE seventh round of talks between Lebanon and Israel concluded in Rome on Thursday without a breakthrough on key territorial issues, but with agreements on procedural frameworks and prisoner lists, according to sources close to the negotiations.
The two delegations held three days of discussions in the Italian capital, including two days of intensive meetings at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. However, sources said that the parties failed to reach an accord on expanding proposed pilot zones along the border.
Lebanon pushed for the inclusion of an additional area, while Israel insisted that verification measures in the first two pilot zones must be completed before any further expansion could be considered.
Despite the deadlock on territorial matters, the two sides exchanged preliminary lists of detained and missing persons. Lebanon submitted a roster of its citizens held or unaccounted for, emphasizing that the release of civilian detainees should be the first step. Israel, in turn, provided a list naming Lebanese Jews who are missing or believed to have been killed in Lebanon.
Negotiators also reached consensus on potential parties to oversee future monitoring mechanisms, sources said. All the participants underscored the importance of upholding the current ceasefire and agreed to pursue a new United Nations Security Council resolution that would serve as the international framework for arrangements following the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
U.S. officials have reportedly committed to continuing engagement with both sides during the interim period on issues related to detainees and border demarcation.
The talks mark the latest diplomatic effort to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier, which has seen heightened tensions in recent months. The next round is tentatively scheduled for September 1.
