Lebanese President Joseph Aoun conditioned Lebanon's continued participation in negotiations with Israel on the beginning of an IDF withdrawal from areas he termed occupied in southern Lebanon, according to a CNN report citing a diplomatic source.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has conditioned Lebanon's continued participation in negotiations with Israel on the start of an IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon, according to a CNN report citing a diplomatic source.
The statement marks a direct linkage between the diplomatic track and the military withdrawal, a position that could complicate ongoing talks. Aoun, who has been engaged in a series of high-level diplomatic contacts in recent weeks — including calls with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Trump envoy Jared Kushner, and Qatar's prime minister (The Zioneer, June 22), as well as with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (June 19) and President Donald Trump (June 28) — has consistently sought to secure Lebanese interests in the framework agreement with Israel.
The IDF's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, where it has operated against Hezbollah positions, remains a key sticking point. The CNN report did not provide further details on the timing or nature of the withdrawal Aoun is demanding. The claim has not been independently verified, and no official confirmation from the Lebanese presidency or Israeli government has been issued.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake