U.S. Says Israel and Lebanon Have Returned to Negotiations Over Border Deal

A senior U.S. State Department official said on Friday that Israel and Lebanon have gone back to the negotiating table to keep working toward an agreement. He said both sides are negotiating as sovereign states with the aim of reaching “sustainable peace and security,” and added, “Our shared goal is to put an end once and for all to the cycle of violence.”

The remarks come as Washington intensifies efforts to broker an understanding between Israel and Lebanon and stabilize the northern border. According to the report, the talks have been extended beyond the original schedule, and the Israeli Embassy in the United States confirmed that the discussions were continuing.

The U.S.-mediated talks are focused on the future of Hezbollah and new security arrangements in southern Lebanon. One major idea under discussion is the creation of “pilot areas,” where security responsibility would be transferred to the Lebanese Army in specific zones after soldiers are screened and checked in the United States to rule out ties to the organization.

Significant gaps remain. Lebanon is pressing for a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from areas where the IDF is currently stationed, while Israel says any deal must include the disarmament of Hezbollah and refuses to withdraw until that condition is met.