President Donald Trump suggested that Israel should allow Syria to handle Hezbollah, arguing Syria could manage the situation better than Israel has, according to reports. The proposal has raised concerns in Lebanon about potential foreign interference and sectarian tensions.
President Donald Trump's suggestion that Israel let Syria handle Hezbollah has drawn concern in Lebanon over potential foreign interference and sectarian tensions, as reported Tuesday evening. The remarks, attributed to Trump and reported by Israeli media, represent the latest in a series of statements in which Trump has sharpened his criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu's Lebanon policy. The proposal was first reported at 15:20 Tuesday (by The Zioneer) and then amplified through multiple Israeli news channels through the afternoon and evening.
As The Zioneer reported Tuesday at 15:20 Jerusalem, Trump blasted Netanyahu's Lebanon policy and urged Israel to let Syria handle Hezbollah. At 15:00 Jerusalem, Trump was quoted saying that if Israel cannot avoid killing everyone in Lebanon, Syria should do the job. By 15:48 Jerusalem, upon arriving at the G7 summit, Trump called Israel's campaign a 'mini-war' and suggested Syria should handle Hezbollah. At 16:06 Jerusalem, Israeli media reported Trump had suggested Israel let Syria deal with Hezbollah, with attorney Eli Goldschmidt separately calling on the opposition to back Netanyahu. The desk's earlier 20:04 Jerusalem bulletin noted the hardening tone. Over the course of Tuesday, what began as a single television quote evolved into a multi-source story with corroboration from several Israeli newsrooms and an on-record report from the G7 summit.
Earlier background context: as The Zioneer reported on Sunday, June 7, Trump had in an NBC interview endorsed 'more surgical' strikes on Hezbollah and praised Syrian leadership. On Monday, June 15, Trump said he hoped the Lebanon situation could be resolved and acknowledged Hezbollah. The current thread also includes earlier Tuesday reports that Trump had acknowledged fighting would continue but again raised the possibility of Syrian forces invading Lebanon to dismantle Hezbollah — a notion Israel strongly opposes.
It remains unclear whether Trump's suggestion represents a formal diplomatic proposal or a rhetorical escalation. No official Israeli government response has been reported as of Tuesday 23:18 Jerusalem.
4 developments
- ConfirmedTrump Slams Israel's Lebanon Campaign as 'Mini-War,' Suggests Syria Should Handle Hezbollah
- StrongTrump says he hopes the Lebanon situation can be resolved, acknowledges Hezbollah
- DevelopingTrump, in NBC Interview, Endorses 'More Surgical' Strikes on Hezbollah and Praises Syrian Leadership
- StrongTrump: If Israel can't avoid killing everyone in Lebanon, let Syria do the job
Source and signal
- Internal intake