Khaberni - Informed sources reported that Israel and Lebanon have agreed on a preliminary list that includes the UK, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia as potential countries to contribute to a mechanism being discussed to deploy foreign forces in Lebanon, aimed at verifying the implementation of Hezbollah's disarmament process.
The agreement on the list came during talks facilitated by the US held in Rome last week, in the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon concerning the implementation of an agreement concluded in June, which links the gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon to progress in Hezbollah's disarmament.
Three sources said the four countries could participate in defining the scope of the proposed mechanism, providing personnel to oversee its implementation, or sending forces to monitor and participate in inspections intended to verify that areas are free of weapons.
A Lebanese official told Reuters on Friday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed on a list of countries that might participate in the disarmament verification mission, but he declined to disclose it, indicating that the United States would determine the countries that will actually participate.
In late June, Israel and Lebanon reached a framework mediated by the United States, as part of Washington's efforts to end the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which erupted in March.
A source informed that discussions about the countries on the list are still in their early stages, adding that there is "cautious optimism" about continuing efforts to reach an agreement on the implementation mechanism.
The office of the Israeli Prime Minister, the Lebanese Presidency, and the foreign ministries of the UK, Italy, and Indonesia did not respond to requests for comment, while the Swiss Foreign Ministry did not immediately provide a comment.
Disagreement on home inspections
The proposed mechanism faces contentious issues, notably the scope of inspection operations and the powers of the foreign forces that may be deployed in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army maintains what it describes as a security zone extending about 10 kilometers inside southern Lebanon, stating that it will not withdraw unilaterally from it before Hezbollah is disarmed.
Two sources reported that the proposed mechanism might include inspecting villages in southern Lebanon to ensure they are free of weapons, with Israel wishing to extend inspections to private homes.
The Lebanese army resisted pressure last year to conduct inspections inside private properties, fearing that the step would increase tension in southern Lebanon or with Hezbollah.
Lebanese security officials told Reuters that the army would need separate search warrants to enter each house.
A foreign security official said that the issue of private property needs resolution, including determining an inspection mechanism and the entity that will oversee it, along with establishing clear rules regarding the freedom of movement of any foreign forces deployed in Lebanon.
According to sources, there must also be agreement on a legal and political mandate for the presence of foreign forces, expecting them to be deployed based on a formal invitation from the Lebanese government and within a framework agreed upon by Israel.
The sources indicate that the United States and Israel most likely would not accept a role for the United Nations in this mechanism, while European countries might oppose subjecting the mission to the supervision of the "Peace Council" led by US President Donald Trump.
