As the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel entered its second day at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, expectations remained low. Israel has signaled no intention to withdraw from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, while Lebanese authorities face domestic backlash over a “framework agreement” reached during the previous round in Washington.
The backdrop is ominous: the United States has resumed strikes on Iran, Tehran has responded by once again closing the Strait of Hormuz, and deep political divisions within Lebanon threaten to undermine any potential deal. Analyst Rabiha Allam, speaking on the Mada Masr podcast, described a “profoundly complex” scene in which neutral mediation is essentially absent.
