In groups of five, the residents of Zawtar Gharbieh, in the Nabatieh district, are returning to their village under tight army supervision. For now, they are not coming back to settle in, but only to inspect the area and assess the extent of the damage, as they wait to eventually rebuild their village.
Alongside their mixed feelings of sadness, anger and relief, they are also aware of the weight of carrying out a nationally significant task, since what they are experiencing today marks the first concrete implementation of the "pilot zones" plan, included in the framework agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel under American sponsorship.
In addition to the Lebanese public, military and diplomatic observers from the countries involved in this agreement are closely following the developments in Zawtar Gharbieh, one of the three villages — alongside Froun and Srifa — comprising the first "pilot zone."
This, therefore, is the first test for the deployment of the Lebanese Army and its takeover of the area, while the Israelis are still present in nearby Zawtar Sharqieh. In fact, according to military sources, Israeli soldiers were not truly stationed inside Zawtar Gharbieh, but rather at its periphery, in adjacent areas.
They withdrew a few days ago, but the village remains under their fire control. The aforementioned military sources say that Lebanese soldiers immediately deployed and barred access to the village, allowing them to inspect and even search houses quietly, without encountering residents. The soldiers sought to confirm the Israeli withdrawal, ensure the area was secure, and, at the same time, verify that Hezbollah fighters and their installations had left. However, it is important to note that the aforementioned military sources and Hezbollah itself confirm that Zawtar Gharbieh was not a significant stronghold for the group. This undoubtedly made the army's mission easier, allowing them, after a few days, to start permitting residents to return.
In this context, all parties involved in this process understand that what is happening in Zawtar Gharbieh cannot serve as a definitive or conclusive preview of the army's mission within the "pilot zones"plan. It is more of a positive sign the Lebanese side wanted to send — particularly to the Americans — even though it does not provide a model for how to continue the mission. It is merely the launch of the project, offering a sense of what might come next, especially regarding the problems that need to be resolved for the mission to succeed. Chief among these needs are equipping and training the Lebanese soldiers to detect weapons and explosives, as well as granting them the legal authority to carry out systematic searches, particularly of private properties.
This poses a legal issue that must be addressed. In this regard, the army deliberately delayed even the temporary return of residents to Zawtar Gharbieh to avoid facing this legal problem head-on. Soldiers conducted searches before residents arrived. However, this approach cannot be widely implemented. Effective and lawful solutions that also respect rights will need to be found.
The real work will begin at the next round of negotiations scheduled for Rome on Aug. 4. This time, the Lebanese delegation is expected to include military figures, as the issues to be discussed are primarily technical and concern field operations. In addition to the resources to be provided to the Lebanese Army and the legalization of private property searches, the verification process to be adopted will also need to be discussed. Lebanon insists that this process remain strictly and exclusively under American responsibility, while the Israelis want to have a say. Lebanon had intended to bring up this point before the Aug. 4 meeting with the American general in charge of the Military Coordination Committee for Lebanon, Joseph Clearfield, but, so far — and contrary to some media reports — no visit to Beirut is planned in the coming days. Likewise, a visit to Beirut by CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper, which was previously announced, has yet to be confirmed.
For now, Lebanon therefore considers that it has fulfilled its duty in Zawtar Gharbieh. The next step is to wait and see how the Israelis, who continue their attacks in the region, will respond to residents coming to inspect their houses — knowing that, for many reasons tied to destruction and lack of infrastructure, these residents still cannot stay in their homes.
Through the Zawtar Gharbieh experience, the army has shown that it has no intention of entering into direct confrontation with the residents. This is clear to the concerned parties, particularly Hezbollah, which is closely monitoring every development. The group has, for now, decided not to obstruct the army’s activities in the village, but that does not mean it will stand by if the adopted process meets Israeli control demands. According to its own sources, Hezbollah is awaiting the next meeting in Rome to see if any secret agreements have been reached — as some media claim — or if the Lebanese Army will maintain its stance of refusing to come under Israeli control.
In other words, the experience of Zawtar Gharbieh was a positive prelude and a gesture of good faith from Lebanon, but it should not be overemphasized. The real problems have yet to be resolved. While they are expected to be presented at the next round of negotiations in Rome, this does not guarantee that solutions will be swiftly found.
