Lead:
The fifth round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Washington entered its second day on Wednesday after a troubled opening session, with both delegations resuming talks following a reported breakdown over Israeli-proposed "experimental zones" in southern Lebanon. The discussions unfold against a backdrop of fresh ceasefire violations, cross-border incidents, and sharpening disagreements over the terms and timeline of any eventual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Details:
American Ambassador Michel Issa confirmed to journalists that the first session ended in an impasse but expressed hope that progress could be achieved on the second day, according to Al-Manar and Al-Markazia reporting cited by Newsd. The Lebanese Army delegation had rejected an Israeli proposal to designate "experimental zones" as a basis for deployment discussions, with American sources quoted by MTV describing the rejection as a significant stumbling block. Al-Annahar reported that well-informed political sources identified Israel's insistence on subjecting the Lebanese Army to operational oversight arrangements as a central obstacle, alongside broader Israeli demands to maintain a buffer presence across wide swaths of southern Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz stated publicly on Wednesday that Washington had made no request for an Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, a position echoed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who told reporters that Israel would have no need to remain in Lebanon if Iran ceased its involvement there, noting that Hezbollah had launched more than 7,000 rockets, shells, and drones from Lebanese territory since March, according to Al-Markazia. Al-Annahar noted that multiple indicators suggest the American administration does not object to Israel maintaining a presence in areas it designates as buffer zones, despite some divergence in approach between Washington and Tel Aviv.
On the Lebanese side, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, speaking to a delegation from the Lebanese Press Syndicate led by Awni al-Kaaki, affirmed that negotiations represent the least costly option available and acknowledged that no one can predict their outcome in advance, according to Newsd. Hezbollah lawmaker Hasan Fadlallah stated that the resistance is aware of how to respond to Israeli violations, and that no final agreement is possible without a full Israeli withdrawal. Fellow Loyalty to the Resistance bloc member Raed Bro questioned whether the negotiations were structured in a way that could yield results, pointing to what he described as a lack of strategic clarity, also according to Newsd. Separately, Al-Akhbar reported that European Union diplomats are discussing the possibility of deploying a military training mission to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, a proposal that would require member-state approval.
Watch For:
Whether the second session produces agreement on a framework for Lebanese Army deployment, or whether the "experimental zones" dispute leads to a formal suspension of talks. The position Washington ultimately adopts regarding Israeli buffer-zone claims, given signals that American objections may be more muted than publicly stated. Any escalatory incident in the south — following Israeli strikes on Kafr Ruman that Hezbollah and the Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed killed two civilians — that could derail the diplomatic track before a deal framework is reached.