Seventh Round of Israel-Lebanon Rome Talks Ends Without Pilot-Zone Breakthrough

The seventh round of U.S.-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon ended Thursday in Rome after three days. The session ran on three parallel tracks: a legal track on Lebanese detainees held by Israel, a political track on the pilot zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces are to replace IDF control, and a military track seeking common definitions for military operations. No agreement was announced on expanding the pilot zones. Israel's delegation was headed by Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon's by former ambassador Simon Karam. Israel also raised the issue of Jews who went missing in Lebanon during the civil war.