Pilot zones at center of Israel-Lebanon talks as Trump pressures Netanyahu
With the fifth round of talks set to begin Tuesday, Israel is prepared to withdraw from at least one “pilot zone,” allowing the Lebanese army to take control of the area.
TEL AVIV — Israeli and Lebanese negotiators are set to discuss an Israeli pullout from parts of southern Lebanon within the framework of “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army will assume responsibility for preventing Hezbollah from attacking Israel. The issue is expected to be a central topic at Tuesday's fifth round of Israel-Lebanon peace talks in Washington.
"In this round, the Israeli side will come with maps," a senior Israeli diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. "We want to mark the pilot area from which the Israeli military will withdraw in favor of the Lebanese army."
As he heads into the most crucial reelection campaign of his long career, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping that defining the Israeli withdrawal as a "pilot arrangement" with the Lebanese army will make it more palatable to Israeli voters than a forced pullout.
Such a move would also help the Trump administration in its negotiations with Iran, which is demanding a cessation of fighting and an Israeli withdrawal as part of its comprehensive agreement with the Americans. Lebanese broadcaster LBCI reported Sunday that the United States had informed Iran and Lebanon that Israel would soon carry out several pullbacks as gestures of goodwill.
