Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly proposed to President Trump a 'significant force thinning' in Lebanon as an alternative to full withdrawal, according to Lebanese journalist Suleiman Maswadeh. The offer, disclosed Thursday night, suggests a compromise between the US push for a complete pullout and Israeli resistance to a full exit.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly proposed to President Donald Trump a 'significant force thinning' (דילול כוחות משמעותי) in Lebanon instead of a complete withdrawal, according to Lebanese journalist Suleiman Maswadeh, reporting on Thursday night. The proposal, which Maswadeh attributes to unnamed sources, suggests Netanyahu is seeking a middle ground between the Trump administration's demands for a full Israeli pullout from Lebanon and Israel's reluctance to abandon its operational positions.
The offer comes amid a series of conflicting signals between Jerusalem and Washington over the pace and scope of any withdrawal. As The Zioneer has reported over the past week, Trump has pressed Netanyahu for a Friday deadline to complete a pullout (June 16 bulletin), while the US has also urged a total halt to Israeli operations in Lebanon to preserve emerging understandings with Iran and Hezbollah (June 17 bulletin). Other reports indicated the US was trying to persuade Iran with a proposal linking Israeli withdrawal to de-escalation (June 14 bulletin).
Maswadeh's report, based on a single source, does not specify the Trump administration's response to the 'force thinning' alternative, nor the exact areas or timeline contemplated. The proposal appears to reflect an Israeli effort to retain a security presence in southern Lebanon while addressing American demands for visible de-escalation, as diplomatic efforts to stabilize the border continue against the backdrop of the November 2024 ceasefire framework that has yet to be fully implemented.
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