Israel’s refusal to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory and ongoing tensions are delaying the scheduling of the next round of negotiations with Lebanon, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.
According to the broadcaster on Monday, Israel claims that the Lebanese army is working “in coordination with Hezbollah.”
Lebanon, meanwhile, is refusing to hold talks in the near future in protest against Israel’s failure to expand the areas from which its forces would withdraw in southern Lebanon, KAN said.
“Setting a date for the next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is being delayed because of the existing tensions between the two countries,” the broadcaster added.
The seventh round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations concluded on Thursday in Rome under US sponsorship. The talks addressed issues related to implementing a framework agreement reached on June 26.
On Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated during a Cabinet meeting that his country had made “positive progress” in the Rome negotiations regarding the border and prisoner exchange files.
The framework agreement stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, beginning with a pilot phase in certain areas, in exchange for the deployment of Lebanon’s army and the disarmament of armed groups, a reference to Hezbollah.