Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has called for concrete progress on the US-backed framework between Lebanon and Israel, raising the issue during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on September 28.
The meeting comes as efforts to implement the framework remain stalled. The arrangement, reached under US mediation in June, outlines a phased process involving the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south and the eventual placing of weapons under the authority of the Lebanese state.
Salam urged Washington to help move the framework from discussion into practical implementation. According to his office, he called for reciprocity, a phased approach, clear timelines and measurable results, with the broader objective of restoring Lebanon’s full sovereignty and strengthening state control across the country.
A major point of disagreement remains the sequence of steps. Lebanon has pushed for progress toward an Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has maintained that Hezbollah’s disarmament is a central condition for further withdrawals. The disagreement over which commitments should come first has contributed to the current stalemate.
Salam also called for a credible mechanism to verify whether the commitments under the framework are being carried out. He stressed the importance of continued American assistance to the Lebanese army as it expands state authority and takes on responsibilities in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese army has already begun deploying in designated areas described as “pilot zones.” The developments are part of a wider effort to strengthen the role of Lebanon’s state institutions in the south while negotiations continue.
Rubio said the United States continues to support implementation of the trilateral framework involving Lebanon, Israel and the United States. He also emphasized Washington’s support for Lebanon’s state institutions and described the framework as the route toward longer-term security and stability.
The diplomatic discussions are taking place against a backdrop of continued military activity in southern Lebanon. On Monday, Israeli forces reported completing an operation in the southern town of Mansouri, where they said they had dismantled infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah. Lebanese and Israeli accounts continue to differ over security conditions and the implementation of the framework.
Further negotiations are expected, with Israel and Lebanon scheduled to meet in Rome in October as efforts continue to advance the US-brokered security framework. Previous rounds have struggled to resolve key issues, including territorial questions, the sequence of commitments and the future role of armed groups in Lebanon.
For ordinary people in Lebanon, however, the diplomatic language ultimately comes down to something much simpler: whether the commitments discussed in meeting rooms can translate into greater security and stability on the ground. The coming weeks will show whether the latest push for a clear timetable and verification mechanism can help move the process beyond stalled negotiations.
