Lebanon is counting on US pressure to push Israel to soften its position after the third day of the fifth round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Washington failed to yield a breakthrough.
The two delegations failed to agree on a declaration of intent, prompting the US State Department to extend the round by one day and schedule a fourth session for Friday.
The extension came after Lebanon’s cabinet on Thursday approved a mandate for the negotiating delegation to continue the talks.
The decision was backed unanimously by ministers, including those aligned with Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, even as the “Shiite duo” continues to reject direct negotiations with Israel.
Differences remain
Thursday’s talks were the longest since the fifth round began, lasting 11 hours. They had been expected to end with a news conference, and journalists were invited in the evening.
But the event was canceled without explanation before the US State Department announced that negotiations would continue for another day, signaling that major differences remained.
Sources familiar with the talks said the extension followed a failure to agree on the final wording of the declaration of intent, despite discussions having reached the stage of detailed drafting.
The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon is insisting the declaration include core principles: affirmation of Lebanese sovereignty, recognition of the Lebanese army’s role in extending state authority, and a clear link between any field arrangements or “model areas” and a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, along with the return of displaced people.
Israel, the sources said, remains firm. It is demanding security guarantees to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military infrastructure and is refusing to include any clear commitment to a full withdrawal from Lebanese territory in the declaration of intent.
The sources said the main sticking point is the issue of “model areas.” They said Israel had retreated from an earlier approval of the proposal and is now demanding that the Lebanese army first deploy in areas outside the yellow line, meaning areas still under Lebanese state control north of the Litani River.
The aim, the sources said, is for the army to impose control there and disarm Hezbollah. Lebanon rejects that approach and insists that any model areas must first be tied to Israel’s withdrawal from the territory it occupies.
The sources also pointed with concern to security developments on Friday in the south, where Israeli incursions continued. They cited indications of attempts to expand the yellow line on the ground.
“All of this makes Lebanon even more determined to link any understanding to a full Israeli withdrawal,” one source said.
Lebanon banks on US pressure
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said Thursday that progress had been made in the negotiations and suggested that a declaration of intent could be reached. But that has not happened, with differences between the two delegations still unresolved.
Lebanon is now counting on further US pressure to push Israel to ease its stance and accept the Lebanese proposal in Friday’s session, particularly on withdrawal and the model areas. The sources said Rubio was expected to follow the talks from Washington after returning there.
In parallel, Lebanon’s cabinet approved on Thursday a decision “taking note” of the negotiations underway in Washington.
The decision said the cabinet took note of the mandate granted by the president, in agreement with the prime minister, to the Lebanese negotiating delegation, authorizing it to take the necessary steps to achieve the desired outcome under the delegation's supervision.
The sources said the mandate allows the Lebanese delegation to sign in Washington any agreement or declaration of intent that may be reached, but does not bring it into force. Implementation would still depend on cabinet approval.
They stressed that the delegation is not acting independently. President Joseph Aoun is continuously following the talks and issuing instructions to ensure the delegation remains committed to Lebanon’s core principles throughout the negotiations.
