Lead:
The second day of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations held in Washington concluded without a breakthrough on Thursday, as both delegations maintained entrenched positions over the Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The talks, mediated by American officials, centered on the scheduling of an Israeli pullout and the designation of so-called "pilot zones," while Israeli forces continued conducting airstrikes, artillery bombardments, and demolition operations in southern Lebanese villages — including the burning of homes in Ain Arab in the Marjayoun district.
Details:
According to Al-Nahar, the fifth round of negotiations foundered primarily on the question of programming the Israeli withdrawal timeline. The Lebanese delegation, along with the American side, submitted more than ten proposals for pilot zones, none of which gained Israeli approval. Israeli negotiators insisted that the Lebanese Army operate exclusively within these zones, while Lebanese officials reaffirmed their commitment to full sovereignty and the complete implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The two delegations did discuss a security annex and agreed in principle on a "declaration of intent," though substantive gaps remain.
Al-Addiyar reported, citing informed sources, that Israeli delegations engaged in deliberate evasion during negotiating sessions whenever discussion turned to a concrete withdrawal timeline, presenting conditions described as extremely difficult to meet. The same sources indicated that Hezbollah has communicated to all relevant parties that it will accept no agreement outside the framework of Resolution 1701, a position that, according to Al-Addiyar, aligns with the Lebanese Army's refusal to be drawn into any Israeli-engineered confrontation with the resistance. Former Foreign Minister Faris Bouez described the current situation to Al-Addiyar as "merely a tactical ceasefire," warning that no political solutions appear on the horizon. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer stated that Israeli forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah poses a threat.
On the domestic front, Al-Nahar and Newsd reported a joint American-Gulf Cooperation Council statement urging the preservation of the negotiation track and calling for the disarmament of non-state armed groups in Lebanon. UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash cautioned against imposing new geopolitical realities through aggression, stating that such conditions cannot form a foundation for regional stability. A Lebanese military source, quoted by Al-Jadeed and relayed through Newsd, declined to be photographed alongside the Israeli delegation, citing the unhealed wounds of fallen Lebanese soldiers and the visible destruction left across Lebanese territory.
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