Lebanon and Israel began a new round of United States-sponsored direct talks in Rome on Tuesday, as Beirut seeks Israel's phased withdrawal from the country's south. But critics, including Hezbollah, say the talks amount to a "surrender" by Lebanon.
At negotiations in Washington in June, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a framework deal that involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon's south and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in test areas known as "pilot zones".
This week's negotiations, set to continue until Thursday, are the seventh round of US-sponsored talks since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March with rocket fire at Israel, in support of its backer Iran.
However, according to Lebanese activist Raina Masri: "These are not negotiations. Lebanon is gaining nothing, and losing everything."
She told RFI: "[What is] critically important is that [Lebanese President] Joseph Aoun is not representing the government of Lebanon or the people or the interests of the country.
"There has been no official support from parliament or from ministers for this surrender. Furthermore, his actions are unconstitutional, since our constitution is clear: Israel is an enemy to our state and our people.”
According to Masri, Lebanon "is still fighting for its liberation and its sovereignty, as we have been trying to do since our inception in the 1940s".
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Tuesday that the direct negotiations would bring "nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises" for Lebanon.
In a televised address, he also criticised Aoun, saying he "has not acted as an arbiter, nor as a unifying figure, but has become biased and divisive, which is incompatible with his role and with Lebanon's strength".
The Lebanese President himself is the one who is signing a surrender agreement with our existential enemy.
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REMARK by Rania Masri
Jan van der Made
Withdrawal
Following talks last month, Israel's military withdrew from the outskirts of the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya, one of the first pilot zones.
The Lebanese army was deployed to the area and has allowed residents to inspect their homes and businesses.
But Masri is sceptical. "Israel continues to detonate people's homes, to destroy our history and our very existence in numerous villages," she said.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told a cabinet meeting on Monday that his country was pursuing "efforts towards successive Israeli withdrawals from Lebanese territory, leading to a full withdrawal".
A US State Department official told French news agency AFP that this week's discussions would "include expanding the pilot zone process, resolving all outstanding border issues, and working on a comprehensive peace and security agreement".
On Monday, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa warned that "moving too quickly risks jeopardising the very civilians this process is meant to protect".
"It is better to take the time needed to get this right the first time. Doing so will allow subsequent pilot zones to move forward more efficiently," Issa said. "Both sides must agree on a clear, workable process before proceeding."
Observers say Israel's commitment to withdraw will also be tested when pilot zones are selected in areas fully under its occupation.
Violence in Lebanon has decreased since the Lebanon-Israel deal and the signing in June of a preliminary US-Iran agreement on the Middle East conflict. But Lebanon continues to report intermittent Israeli strikes and shelling, as well as detonations and demolitions in southern villages.
(with newswires)
