Sources in the Lebanese presidential palace told the Lebanese television channel MTV that the second day of negotiations in Rome witnessed more significant progress, and the discussions became practical and detailed regarding the implementation mechanisms of the framework agreement.
According to the sources, the parties discussed the timeline for the start of the withdrawal from the pilot areas in southern Lebanon. The officials claimed that all preparations are being made so that the withdrawal will begin in the upcoming days or even within hours. They added that an announcement is expected to define the exact date and expressed hope that the process would not be delayed beyond the weekend.
Video: IDF troops operate in southern Lebanon to eliminate terrorists and terrorist infrastructure. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
According to the sources, further discussions are expected later to establish a timetable for Israeli withdrawals from additional areas beyond the pilot zones. Regarding the verification mechanism to ensure that the areas are demilitarized of weapons belonging to Hezbollah, the sources said that the information would be passed to a third party.
"We are open to the American vision, and we have a natural tendency to prefer that UN bodies like UNIFIL handle the verification. Several proposals are being discussed," the officials said.
Furthermore, sources in the palace of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun emphasized, "Any meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu is something that is flatly rejected. Aoun's visit to Washington will include a meeting with Trump and perhaps with several senior officials. The visit will be very quick."
