Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised a comprehensive agreement that includes a withdrawal from Lebanon, Israeli media report — a position he reportedly ruled out days earlier.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised a comprehensive agreement that includes an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, according to a single-source report published Saturday evening. The comment marks an apparent shift from remarks Smotrich made days earlier, in which he reportedly said no such withdrawal would occur. The brief Telegram post provides no details on the agreement's terms, timing, or scope, and does not clarify whether Smotrich is referencing the same framework discussed by other Israeli and Lebanese officials in recent weeks.
The statement follows weeks of competing claims over the status of talks between Israel and Lebanon. As The Zioneer has reported, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated on June 23 that Israeli forces are not withdrawing from Lebanon, while opposition leader Yair Lapid claimed on June 27 that Netanyahu agreed to a withdrawal without compensation. A White House official said on June 15 that an Israeli withdrawal is not part of the emerging deal. Smotrich's own position was previously reported as supporting an agreement — a stance one the source described as a surprising political outreach — in early June, before his reported denial this week.
Smotrich's latest remarks have not been confirmed by his office or by other Israeli officials. The single-source nature of the report means it remains unverified. Whether this reflects a genuine policy shift, a mistranslation, or a partial account is not yet clear.
- DevelopingSmotrich backs Lebanon deal, in apparent shift
- ConfirmedSmotrich: Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon, deepening rift with US over Iran deal
- StrongHezbollah welcomes Lebanon ceasefire; PM pledges to press for Israeli withdrawal
- DevelopingReport: Full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon agreed upon
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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