BEIRUT (Dispatches) – Israel has informed the United States that a pilot program for phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon has failed, blaming the Lebanese Armed Forces for failing to dismantle Hezbollah military structures, according to Israeli media reports.
Israeli officials expressed dissatisfaction with the army’s performance and are in no hurry to approve additional withdrawal zones, Israeli reporting said. The claim came as negotiations over a verification mechanism to inspect Lebanese compliance remain unresolved, with no final agreement on who will assess the army’s work on the ground.
Lebanese officials have sharply rejected Israel’s assessment, accusing Tel Aviv of deliberately wasting time and obstructing negotiations. A senior Lebanese source told Al Jazeera that Israel appeared intent on postponing major decisions until after its domestic elections, rather than producing tangible results now.
The dispute centers on a fundamental question: who decides whether the Lebanese army has fulfilled its obligations, and on what evidence? Under the proposed system, an agreed third party would inspect each zone, determine whether proscribed weapons and installations remain, and report its findings. That mechanism has yet to be finalized.
“We have completed all tasks assigned to us wherever we have been able to deploy,” a senior Lebanese military source told Reuters. The source stressed that the army’s access to the south is neither unrestricted nor entirely under Lebanese control, with Israeli forces still occupying territory and restricting movement.
The first test at Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh exposed the contradiction, when Israeli troops fired warning shots near Lebanese soldiers during their deployment, while Israeli forces remained nearby in Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh.
Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon continued on Wednesday, with Lebanese state media reporting air raids on the outskirts of Naqoura and Majdal Zoun, areas near the border.  
The pilot zones were established under a June 26 framework agreement – deemed “null and void” by Hezbollah – under which occupation forces were to withdraw gradually, allowing the Lebanese army to deploy and facilitate the return of displaced residents.
Israel’s terrorist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly rejected proposals to include Bint Jbeil or Khiam in subsequent withdrawal phases, according to Lebanese reports.
Residents attempting to return to southern areas have faced inspections and movement restrictions, while Israeli demolitions and detonations have continued during negotiations. The Lebanese army has warned that continuing attacks obstruct deployment and prevent residents’ return.
The proposed verification mechanism – which could involve Italian or other European participation – has stalled over disputes about who would inspect the LAF’s work and declare areas free of weapons. Israel has raised reservations about French and Italian involvement while seeking a role in the monitoring process itself.
For residents unable to return, the cost of delay is measured in destroyed homes and another month of displacement. The pilot zones were presented as a means of restoring Lebanese authority – but with every deployment bringing another Israeli condition, Beirut risks negotiating indefinitely over land whose return should never have depended on the occupier’s approval.