Israel, US officials deny deal on foreign troops for Lebanon

Israeli and U.S. officials have refuted claims that an agreement has been reached with Lebanon concerning the deployment of foreign troops to oversee the Lebanese Army's operations or to verify Hezbollah's disarmament. The reports, which circulated widely, suggested a potential international mechanism involving troops from countries like Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia.

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there is no agreement between Lebanon and Israel on forming a body to oversee the Lebanese Army's operations in the designated pilot zones.

According to the Israeli news portal Walla, Israeli and U.S. officials explicitly denied any deal on forming a body to oversee the Lebanese Army in designated zones or on a future international mechanism for Hezbollah's disarmament. However, these officials acknowledged that negotiations are indeed ongoing regarding the composition and implementation of such a mechanism, particularly in the context of the UNIFIL mission's eventual end.

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Israeli and American officials denied a Reuters report regarding an agreement on a future international mechanism to oversee Hezbollah's disarmament.

Reuters had previously reported that Israel and Lebanon had agreed on potential contributors to a proposed mechanism, including Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia. These nations were considered for roles in verifying Hezbollah's disarmament. A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in the United States confirmed that discussions over the body responsible for overseeing and verifying disarmament were continuing, with no final agreement reached.

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negotiations are ongoing regarding the mechanism that will be implemented after the UNIFIL mission ends.

Switzerland's foreign ministry indicated it is exploring ways to support "various stabilization processes" but declined to provide specific details. Similarly, a British foreign ministry spokesperson stated Britain's readiness to assist in de-escalating tensions and promoting long-term security, especially in southern Lebanon, without elaborating further. The Lebanese presidency and the Indonesian foreign ministry have not yet responded to requests for comment on their potential involvement or the reported negotiations.

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Our vision for it is not limited to the three countries. Rather, we aspire for it to grow, and perhaps appropriate conditions will emerge one day for all countries of the region to gather under its umbrella.