Direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are unlikely to resume next month, with any potential future sessions delayed until after the summer, according to a Lebanese diplomatic source cited Sunday night by the Hezbollah-linked Lebanese outlet Al Mayadeen.
The diplomatic official stated that Washington and Jerusalem have refused to widen the established pilot zones until tangible advancement occurs in the initial two designated areas. Additionally, American and Israeli officials have demanded Hezbollah's full retreat from the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge.
The source noted that representatives from Beirut dismissed Israeli assertions attributing every blast in southern Lebanon to strikes against military installations.
The disclosures follow a diplomatic round held last week at the US Embassy in Rome. Following those sessions, a Lebanese representative informed Reuters on Friday that Israeli and Lebanese negotiators had assembled a restricted list of potential third-party nations that could deploy security forces to supervise Hezbollah's disarmament.
The representative noted that Washington retains the final authority to choose which governments will participate. While the Lebanese official declined to name the shortlisted candidates or specify the size of the roster, previous statements from another Lebanese source and two foreign diplomats revealed that both US and Israeli envoys vetoed France from consideration.
The discussions in Rome represented the latest effort to implement a US-brokered framework finalized on June 26. The agreement links a step-by-step withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese soil to independent monitoring of Hezbollah's disarmament.
Hezbollah is not a party to the accord and continues to refuse to lay down its arms.