Nazeer Rida

Israel has linked negotiations over Lebanon’s demand for the release of 34 Lebanese detainees to requests for information about Lebanese Jews who disappeared or were killed during the civil war and Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who went missing in Lebanon in 1987. Lebanese sources and detainee advocates describe the conditions as impossible and fear they are being used to delay cooperation. US-sponsored talks in Rome made limited progress, agreeing only to continue discussing the detainee file. Lebanese authorities have documented 34 detainees, including Hezbollah members and civilians, while 67 others remain unaccounted for after the 2024 war. Advocates accuse the Lebanese government of failing to pursue the cases through the United Nations and international humanitarian bodies.

The seventh round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations in Rome faces unresolved disputes over who will verify the Lebanese Army’s deployment and whether Israel can conduct military operations outside existing agreements. Lebanon rejects Israeli military verification and says its army has fulfilled its obligations, while Israeli strikes, continued occupation and incursions are hindering deployment and residents’ return. Israel is reportedly seeking a second pilot area in an unoccupied but frequently targeted part of Nabatieh, a move Lebanon fears would expand Israel’s security zone around occupied positions.

Negotiators in Rome proposed a pilot zone encompassing six South Lebanon villages to test reciprocal withdrawals by Hezbollah and Israeli forces, enabling subsequent Lebanese Army deployment. The area remains a proposal, with the army uninvolved in current talks. Israel views the region’s terrain as hosting Hezbollah launch sites and has recently conducted operations there. Hezbollah has not formally responded, though its leadership reiterates conditions tied to sovereignty and Israeli withdrawal. Ahead of technical discussions, the Lebanese Army initiated field measures in one village, while Israeli forces carried out demolitions and roadworks in surrounding areas.