Israel, Lebanon discussing pilot scheme for handover of territory

Lebanon and Israel are discussing a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces ​to pull out of some of the territory invaded in the war with Hezbollah and hand it to Lebanese army control ‌during talks in Washington, officials on both sides said.

The proposed pilot project is being discussed in the latest round of Israeli-Lebanese talks that began on Tuesday.

The ​Israeli officials said the Lebanese troops involved in the US-backed proposal would undergo US training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in a buffer zone along the border.

A senior Lebanese security official said the discussions would focus on a timeline for Israeli withdrawal and that any ​plan would emerge only after the final day of talks on Thursday. The official did not respond to Reuters' request for comment on the Israeli officials' account of US vetting ‌of Lebanese ⁠troops.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, even ​if the US demanded it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will remain in Lebanon as long as necessary.

Tehran required ⁠a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of its interim deal with the US, and Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Tuesday that Lebanon was "an unquestionable part of the ​agreement" and that it ⁠included the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

A joint statement issued at the end of US-Iranian talks in Switzerland on Monday said the parties had agreed to create a "de-confliction cell" to ensure adherence to the termination of hostilities in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, the US said it was committed to forming the cell to consolidate the ceasefire in Lebanon, and ⁠that details on ​how it would operate were still under review.

A US proposal for Lebanese army-controlled "pilot zones" featured ​in a ceasefire plan agreed by Lebanese and Israeli officials on June 3. Hezbollah rejected the plan, which was contingent on the group ceasing fire and evacuating its fighters from a swathe of ​the south.

(With input from Reuters)