Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said the status of the Lebanon-Israel framework agreement will not be decided before Israeli elections scheduled for October, indicating that current meetings are aimed at keeping negotiations on track and preventing their collapse.
Speaking to Lebanese Al-Jadeed TV, Schenker said the Lebanese Army “must expand its deployment in sensitive areas and prevent Hezbollah from redeploying,” describing its “success in this mission as a key factor in encouraging Israel to gradually withdraw” from occupied Lebanese territory.
He said upcoming rounds of negotiations could include a prisoner exchange and an Israeli withdrawal “from some areas” in southern Lebanon, but stressed that “this will not happen before the October elections.”
ديفيد شينكر: الجيش اللبناني لا يقوم بدوره كاملاً.. وهناك احتمال تصعيد إسرائيلي #الجديد #وهلق_شو pic.twitter.com/iN2L1apYGP
— Al Jadeed News (@ALJADEEDNEWS) September 13, 2026
Schenker also stressed the need for the United States to play a pivotal role in establishing an effective monitoring mechanism to “ensure that the Lebanese Army fulfills its responsibilities in sensitive areas,” saying “this would encourage Israel to withdraw.”
He said the Lebanese government must “assert state sovereignty and end Iranian hegemony over its decision-making,” while acknowledging that Tehran “will not back down from supporting its ally Hezbollah and will continue to provide it with support.”
Schenker also warned of the possibility of further escalation as the Israeli elections approach.
The next round of official Lebanese-Israeli talks will be held in Rome in October after the round scheduled for this month was postponed, according to the US Embassy in Beirut.
The embassy said the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors will meet in Washington next week to discuss implementation of the tripartite framework.
Source: Al-Manar English Website