Israel and Lebanon Agree on Four Nations to Oversee Hezbollah Disarmament

Israel and Lebanon have agreed on a list of four countries, Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia, to supervise and verify the disarmament of Hezbollah. This development follows a round of talks held in Rome last week, according to Reuters. Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that these countries might deploy armed forces in Lebanon to carry out their mission, although the talks are still in early stages with cautious optimism prevailing.

The proposed mechanism involves inspections in villages across southern Lebanon to confirm the absence of weapons. Israel insists that inspections extend to private homes, but sources noted that the Lebanese army would need to obtain search warrants to conduct such searches. For the deployment of foreign forces, the Lebanese government must officially invite them to grant legal authority.

Meanwhile, it appears that Israel and the United States are unlikely to accept United Nations involvement in the oversight. Additionally, some European countries may oppose supervision by the peace council proposed by then-US President Donald Trump. The agreement marks a significant step toward addressing Hezbollah's armament, though details and implementation remain under negotiation.