**Lebanon and Israel Agree on Shortlist of Countries for Hezbollah Disarmament Verification**
In a significant development in the ongoing negotiations surrounding the disarmament of Hezbollah, Lebanon and Israel have reached an agreement on a shortlist of countries that may send troops to verify the disarmament process. This agreement, facilitated by the United States, was confirmed by a Lebanese official on Friday.
The specifics of the shortlist, including the identities of the countries involved and the total number of nations considered, have not been disclosed. However, it has been reported that both Israel and the United States vetoed France's inclusion in the list. The discussions that led to this shortlist took place during meetings at the US embassy in Rome earlier this week, representing the latest efforts to implement a deal reached on June 26. This deal links Israel's gradual withdrawal of troops from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, which is to be verified by a third-party entity.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, has consistently refused to disarm, complicating the situation further. The Lebanese official stated, “We have reached a short list of countries. We decided which parties were impossible for each and set the potential actors.” The official noted that the final decision on which countries will be selected rests with the United States, which may choose more than one country from the list.
The Israeli foreign ministry has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the shortlist. A spokesperson for the US State Department described the recent talks as “productive on the technical and expert levels,” but did not provide additional information about the discussions.
The backdrop to these negotiations includes ongoing tensions and conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which have escalated since March amid a broader US-Israeli campaign against Iran. Following a US and Israeli attack on Iran in February, Hezbollah launched retaliatory strikes against Israel, prompting Israeli aerial bombardments and ground assaults in southern Lebanon. This conflict has displaced over a million Lebanese civilians.
In a related development, Lebanon has rejected earlier proposals to involve private security firms in the verification process for Hezbollah's disarmament. The Lebanese official emphasized that all proposed actors must be countries, indicating a preference for state involvement in this sensitive matter. “We still need to discuss exactly how this would work, how many forces would be deployed and how they would work with the Lebanese army,” the official added.
The establishment of a framework for the presence of foreign troops in Lebanon is also on the agenda. This framework may involve integrating these forces under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate is set to expire at the end of this year. The Lebanese official indicated that this would likely require a new resolution from the UN Security Council, a development that the US and Israel are reportedly now willing to consider.
Another point of contention remains the next area from which Israeli troops will withdraw to allow Lebanese forces to take control. Beirut has proposed Bint Jbeil and Khiam, two towns that have suffered significant damage from air strikes and where Israeli troops have destroyed entire neighborhoods. However, no agreement has yet been reached regarding this matter.
The next round of talks is scheduled for early September, as both sides continue to navigate the complexities of establishing a lasting resolution to the conflict and the disarmament of Hezbollah. The outcome of these discussions will be pivotal in shaping the future security landscape in the region.