Israel is entering next week’s negotiations with Lebanon in Rome with a firm position, making clear that there will be no further withdrawals from the security zone unless its key security demands are met, according to a report by N12.

At the center of the dispute is Israel’s insistence that the IDF retain complete freedom of operation in any area from which Israeli forces temporarily withdraw. Israeli officials say troops must be able to re-enter those areas to verify they are free of Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure before they can be considered secure.

Lebanon has reportedly rejected that demand, and Israeli officials say there will be no discussion of expanding the current pilot security arrangement unless an agreement is reached on the issue.

Jerusalem has also drawn another red line, stating that even if the pilot program is expanded in the future, Israel will not withdraw from territory within the security zone along the Yellow Line.

“The additional areas will not be on our side of the defensive line we established,” a senior Israeli official told N12. “If the current pilot succeeds and additional pilot zones are approved, they will be beyond the Yellow Line. We will not allow further withdrawals from our side of the security zone. Until Hezbollah is disarmed in Lebanon, that is the understanding.”

Officials involved in the talks cautioned that continued U.S. mediation and future diplomatic developments could still influence the negotiations and potentially lead to adjustments or compromises later in the process.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)