Three Israeli officials said that Israel and Lebanon are discussing a US-backed pilot project under which Israeli forces would hand over control of some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese armed forces.
The officials added that the Lebanese forces participating would be trained and vetted by the American side to ensure they were not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in the buffer zone.
In response to a question about the comments of Israeli officials, a senior Lebanese security official said that discussions were underway in Washington and that talks between the two armies would take place today, addressing the experimental areas among other things.
The Lebanese official added that the discussions would focus on a timetable for withdrawal, and that no plan would emerge until after the final day of talks on Thursday. The official did not respond to a request for comment on Israeli officials' statements regarding US vetting of Lebanese forces.
Direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel resumed in the United States over three days, with political and military talks held in separate rooms. A key point of discussion was the proposal for a pilot zone in southern Lebanon, from which Israeli forces would withdraw and hand over control to the Lebanese army.
Israeli Channel 12 reported that Israel would present a proposal during the Washington talks for a "partial and pilot withdrawal from a specific area in southern Lebanon," with the Lebanese army deploying in the area under American supervision.
According to the report, the Israeli delegation will arrive in Washington carrying maps to delineate the proposed area for what an Israeli source described as a "pilot project" aimed at testing a new mechanism on the ground.
The channel quoted an Israeli source as saying, "We will bring maps to define the pilot area," adding that "this step is part of confidence-building measures between the parties."
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