ISRAEL, LEBANON, US WEIGH WHO WILL VERIFY HEZBOLLAH DISARMAMENT AFTER NEGOTIATIONS IN ROME

Israel, Lebanon, and the United States began formal discussions in Rome to decide which countries will oversee verification that territories entered by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are clear of Hezbollah activity, according to JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post. The talks were launched on Friday and aim to establish a neutral verification mechanism before any potential disarmament steps are taken.

The three parties are considering a joint verification team, but no specific countries have yet been named. The JPost notes that the discussions come after intense opposition from Hezbollah, which has warned that it would not comply with any verification process it deems unfair. The Times of Israel reports that the meeting in Rome began despite this fierce opposition, indicating the urgency of the issue. No figures or names of potential verifying states have been disclosed so far, and the parties are still negotiating the framework for the process.

Hezbollah’s presence along the Israel-Lebanon border remains a major source of tension, and a clear verification protocol is seen as a critical step toward potential disarmament or demilitarisation agreements.

• Israel, Lebanon and the US are negotiating verification responsibilities for LAF-occupied areas.
• The talks commenced in Rome amid strong Hezbollah opposition.
• No specific verifying countries have been identified yet.

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