President Donald Trump said he believes Israel will withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, according to a report. The statement contrasts with Prime Minister Netanyahu's position that Israel will not withdraw as long as Hezbollah poses a threat.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday evening that he believes Israel will withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, a statement that directly contrasts with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated position that Israel will not withdraw as long as Hezbollah poses a threat.
The Zioneer first reported on the statement at 17:36 Jerusalem, initially attributed to an unverified source. The report was quickly corroborated by journalist Amit Segal (N12), who added that Trump said Syria could assist in the process. Subsequent updates at the same time included Trump's confirmation of a discussion with Netanyahu during a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, and the addition of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's comments on Shiite support for the talks and Iran's call to halt negotiations.
The public rift between Trump and Netanyahu over the withdrawal has been building for weeks. The Zioneer previously reported that on June 18, Netanyahu told Trump that Israel would not withdraw. On June 21, the Trump administration demanded a partial Israeli withdrawal. On June 23, Netanyahu reiterated that forces are not leaving, and Iran claimed Trump had given his word that Israel would be compelled to withdraw. On June 24, Trump said he would 'take a look' at Netanyahu's claim. These reports, as covered by The Zioneer, illustrate the ongoing diplomatic standoff.
It remains unclear from the report where or when Trump made the latest remark. The Prime Minister's office has not yet responded. The status of negotiations over the withdrawal remains in flux.
5 developments
- DevelopingTrump says he'll 'take a look' at Netanyahu's claim Israel will keep troops in Lebanon
- DevelopingNetanyahu tells Trump Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon, abandon north
- DevelopingIran says Trump gave his word that Israel will be compelled to withdraw from Lebanon
- StrongIsraeli fears: Trump pressure on Netanyahu over south Lebanon withdrawal to persist after Iran MOU
Source and signal
- Internal intake