Report: US-mediated Lebanon-Israel talks to address possible Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon

A new round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel is expected to focus on the possibility of a gradual Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon, according to a report by the Israeli news website Walla. The talks, scheduled to begin in Washington on Tuesday under US mediation, will mark the fifth round of discussions between the two sides since negotiations began in April. According to Walla, citing unnamed Israeli sources, participants are expected to discuss a phased Israeli withdrawal from areas in southern Lebanon that Israeli officials believe do not pose an immediate security threat to communities along the border. The report said Israeli officials are considering withdrawing from positions that “do not allow for direct fire towards […]