WASHINGTON — The next round of US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place next week in Rome, the State Department confirmed on Monday.

Technical teams from each side will meet from August 4 to August 6 and focus on advancing the implementation of the framework agreement for an eventual peace deal that Israel and Lebanon signed last month.

“That includes expanding the pilot zone process, resolving all outstanding border issues, and working on a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” a statement attributed to a State Department official said.

Last month’s deal called for the Lebanese military to deploy in areas in southern Lebanon where the Hezbollah terror group had a military presence and influence, and for Israel to withdraw from its declared security zone in the south, dependent on Hezbollah disarmament.

The IDF carried out its first withdrawal from a pilot zone in southern Lebanon last week, though Beirut has since accused Jerusalem of hampering efforts by the Lebanese Armed Forces to operate in that area.

The State Department insisted the power transfer is going well, though there were concerns that Israel will not agree to perform additional withdrawals as the October Knesset election approaches.

“The experience of the initial zones will help us perfect pilot-zone implementation so it can expand in a phased manner,” the State........

© The Times of Israel