Trump says he would speak to Hezbollah if Lebanon asked
Key Takeaways
- Trump said he would speak with Hezbollah if asked by President Joseph Aoun.
- The leaders discussed the US-backed Israel-Lebanon framework agreement.
- Aoun is expected to seek a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
The US president said he was willing to engage Hezbollah at Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's request as Washington sought to advance a new Israel-Lebanon framework agreement.
US President Donald Trump said he would be prepared to speak with Hezbollah if Lebanese President Joseph Aoun requested it, as the two leaders met in Washington to discuss efforts to stabilise southern Lebanon.
During a joint press briefing on Tuesday, Trump was asked whether he remained in contact with Hezbollah following remarks he had made in previous interviews.
"Are you still speaking with Hezbollah? You said in previous interviews that you were speaking with Hezbollah..." he was asked.
"Well, I don't want to say that, but I would speak to Hezbollah, yeah. I speak to everybody. I'll speak to people that a lot of people think I shouldn't be speaking to and things work out. I would say this, if the President wanted me to speak to Hezbollah, you know, he's lived with Hezbollah for a long time. And if the President wanted me to speak to Hezbollah, I would," Trump replied.
The meeting between Trump and Aoun comes as both sides discuss the 14-point Israel-Lebanon framework agreement brokered by the United States last month to reinforce the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has rejected the proposal, describing it as "futile" and "humiliating" for Lebanon.
The first phase of the agreement's "pilot zones" initiative is already underway, with Israeli forces withdrawing from some parts of Lebanon while the Lebanese Armed Forces move in to take control.
Israel said the Israel Defence Forces "will adjust its force posture in one of the pilot areas in order to enable the Lebanese Armed Forces to carry out their mission, while safeguarding the security of IDF soldiers and preserving its right to self-defence and to remove threats."
The Israeli government also said its forces would remain inside the 10-kilometre "security zone" in southern Lebanon for "as long as necessary to defend the communities of northern Israel."
Aoun is expected to urge Trump to press for a full Israeli withdrawal from the remaining Lebanese territory and support the Lebanese Armed Forces in taking control of areas where Hezbollah maintains a strong presence.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
