Lead:
A fifth round of U.S.-brokered Lebanese-Israeli negotiations convened in Washington on Tuesday, marking what multiple sources describe as the most complex session to date. Lebanese officials insist on complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern territories, while Israeli maps reportedly propose only partial pullback. The talks unfold against a backdrop of continued Israeli military activity in the south, domestic political pressure, and parallel diplomatic contacts at the highest levels.
Details:
According to Al-Diyar, Lebanon finds itself in a constrained position regarding the scope of so-called "pilot zones," with Washington largely adopting Israeli demands on boundary definitions. The same outlet reports that Israeli maps presented to the Lebanese side envision a partial withdrawal, a proposition Beirut categorically rejects in favour of a complete Israeli military exit. A knowledgeable diplomat cited by Al-Jumhuriya indicated that the current round is witnessing cautious progress, though core disagreements remain unresolved.
President Joseph Aoun confirmed that Washington negotiations are ongoing and are proceeding on a track separate from the Switzerland meetings. Al-Nahar reported that Baabda Palace issued clear and firm directives to Ambassador Simon Karam and the Lebanese negotiating team, emphasising the imperative of protecting national rights and rejecting any decisions taken on Lebanon's behalf. Justice Minister Adel Nassar echoed this position, stressing that Lebanon will not accept guardianship over its sovereign choices.
On the security front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel continues operating in Lebanon and is establishing what he described as a security buffer zone in the south, signalling no imminent full withdrawal. Al-Akhbar separately reported Israeli concerns, relayed through intermediary parties, over possible attempts to capture Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL spokesperson Dany Al-Ghafri warned Al-Diyar of ongoing dangers posed by unexploded ordnance across the south. Israeli forces also appeared with a D9 bulldozer in the village of Ain Arab one day after the Lebanese Army reopened the road to it, according to Al-Diyar.
Domestically, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared that Lebanon and its resistance have entered a phase of "breaking the Israeli project," insisting that full withdrawal is the only option facing Israel. The Free Patriotic Movement, meeting under MP Gebran Bassil, welcomed outcomes from the Buergenstock talks and called for national decision-making to return exclusively to state institutions. Speaker Nabih Berri urged French President Emmanuel Macron to help consolidate the ceasefire and secure Israeli withdrawal.
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