Lebanon-Israel military talks hosted by the US in Tampa end without a breakthrough, The New Arab reports

Talks between Lebanese and Israeli military officials hosted by the United States at US Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, this week ended without any breakthrough, The New Arab reported on Thursday 22 October, citing its own sources, according to Middle East Eye.

The New Arab’s sources described “intransigence in Israeli positions, while the Lebanese side is holding firm to its demands that steps must be reciprocal”. The Lebanese Armed Forces have rejected direct military-to-military coordination with Israel and prefer a third-party verification mechanism involving the United Nations and countries such as France, Middle East Eye reported. Israel says the Lebanese army has not had the capacity to disarm Hezbollah fighters, and Lebanese officials have asked for a timetable for the return of displaced people to the south.

Israeli air strikes and artillery fire hit southern Lebanon on Friday, Anadolu Agency reported, citing Lebanese reports.

Background: Lebanon and Israel agreed a framework with the US in Washington, signed on 26 June after five rounds of talks hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which created a US-facilitated Military Coordination Group for Lebanon. According to Middle East Eye, the “pilot zones” from which Israel pledged to withdraw to allow the Lebanese army to take over have not been expanded since July. Hezbollah, which the US designates a terrorist organisation, was not part of the talks and has said it cannot disarm while Israel remains a threat. Since 28 February more than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli attacks, Middle East Eye reported.