U.S. President Donald Trump says he expects Israel to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon, saying Israel wants to take that step as part of a U.S.-mediated arrangement involving Lebanon. Speaking to reporters at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Trump said he discussed the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that he believes Israeli forces will leave southern Lebanon. Trump characterized the withdrawal as something Israel “wants,” adding that he expects the agreement between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States, to “work out very well.”
The comments come despite public indications from Israel’s leadership that the military presence may continue while Hezbollah poses a security threat. In particular, Netanyahu has indicated that troops would remain in place so long as Hezbollah is considered dangerous, according to the Jerusalem Post. Reuters also reports that Trump’s expectation contrasts with those remarks. The two accounts together suggest an ongoing negotiation or differing assessments of timing and conditions for any troop changes in southern Lebanon.
