UK, Italy Among States Considered to Oversee Hezbollah Disarmament Mechanism
International Negotiations on Hezbollah Disarmament Verification
By Alexander Cornwell and Maya Gebeily
Potential Contributors and Mechanism Scope
TEL AVIV/BEIRUT, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Israel and Lebanon have agreed on Britain, Italy, Switzerland and Indonesia as potential contributors to a proposed mechanism that could see foreign troops deployed to Lebanon to verify Hezbollah's disarmament, people familiar with the matter said.
The shortlist emerged from U.S.-mediated talks in Rome last week, the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on implementing a June agreement that ties Israel's phased withdrawal from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Roles of Shortlisted Countries
The countries could help define the mechanism's scope, provide personnel to oversee its implementation or contribute troops to observe or take part in inspections verifying disarmament, three sources said.
Statements from Officials
A Lebanese official told Reuters on Friday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed on a list of potential countries that could send troops to verify disarmament, but declined to identify them, saying the U.S. would decide which of them would take part.
Israel and Lebanon in late June agreed to a U.S.-mediated framework as part of Washington's efforts to end the latest round of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, triggered in March when the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group attacked Israel following U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
Progress and Ongoing Negotiations
A source with direct knowledge of the matter said discussions surrounding the shortlisted countries were in the early stages but said that they were "cautiously optimistic" the effort would proceed.
A spokesperson for Israel's Embassy to the United States said in a statement that negotiations over the composition of the body that would oversee and verify Hezbollah's disarmament were ongoing and that no agreement had yet been reached.
Switzerland's foreign ministry told Reuters it was exploring ways to support "various stabilization processes", but declined to provide details. A British foreign ministry spokesperson said Britain was ready to support efforts to de-escalate tensions and long-term security, particularly in southern Lebanon, without elaborating.
The Lebanese presidency and the Indonesian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Israel's Security Concerns and Inspection Proposals
Security Zone and Inspection Demands
ISRAEL SEEKING SEARCHES OF PRIVATE HOMES
Israel's military occupies what it describes as a security zone extending 10 km (6 miles) into southern Lebanon and has said it will not withdraw unilaterally until Hezbollah is disarmed.
Two sources said that under the proposed mechanism, villages in southern Lebanon would be inspected and verified as being free of weapons. Israel wants those inspections to include private homes, they said.
Lebanon's Army and Legal Concerns
Lebanon's army has resisted pressure over the last year to search private properties, fearing such searches could spark tensions in the south and with Hezbollah more broadly. Security officials have told Reuters the army would need warrants for each house.
Foreign Troops and Mandate Issues
A foreign security official said the question of private properties would need addressing, including how and by whom they would be searched. The official said the extent of foreign troops' freedom of movement would also need to be clearly established.
A mandate for the presence of foreign troops in Lebanon would have to be agreed, the sources said, with the most likely scenario being that they would be formally invited by the Lebanese government under a framework endorsed by Israel.
The U.S. and Israel were unlikely to accept U.N. involvement, the sources said, while European nations may oppose oversight by U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called Board of Peace.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell and Maya Gebeily, additional reporting by Steven Scheer, and Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva and Alistair Smout in London; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Sanjeev Miglani)
