The United States announced today (Monday) that the first pilot zones in southern Lebanon, in the villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar Al-Gharbiya, have begun operating. According to a State Department statement, the activity is being carried out in accordance with the framework of the tripartite agreements between Israel, Lebanon and the United States, and under the supervision of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon.
The statement stated that this is a “milestone” that was born following the round of talks that took place last week in Rome between the Israeli and Lebanese delegations, under American mediation. The United States stated that it will continue to work closely with both sides to complete the implementation of the agreements and lead the process to its successful conclusion.
The pilot zones constitute the first stage in the implementation of the tripartite outline that was signed last month. According to the agreement, the Lebanese army is to assume full security responsibility in the areas to be defined, after verifying the dismantling of infrastructures of armed organizations not subordinate to the state. At the same time, the process is intended to allow for a gradual withdrawal of IDF forces from areas in southern Lebanon, in accordance with compliance with the security conditions set.
During negotiations in Rome, the parties agreed on the structure and principles for operating the pilot zones, after which the teams moved to the technical phase of implementation. The announcement released today by the State Department marks the transition from agreements on paper to actual implementation on the ground.
Despite the progress, the road to a comprehensive arrangement remains complex. Hezbollah continues to oppose the outline, while Israel and Lebanon disagree on key issues, including the scope of the IDF withdrawal, the dismantling of terrorist infrastructures, and future security arrangements along the border. Washington hopes that the success of the pilot areas will allow the model to be expanded to additional areas and lay the foundations for a broader agreement between the two countries.