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Trump Says He Believes Israel Will Withdraw Troops From Southern Lebanon
ANKARA – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he believes Israel will withdraw its military forces from southern Lebanon. Speaking to reporters at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Trump indicated he had discussed a potential withdrawal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Yeah, I think they’re going to. I think they want to," Trump stated. He added, "So we have a deal with Israel and Lebanon. Yeah, they’ll leave. And I think it’s going to work out very well."
The president's remarks appear to differ from recent comments made by the Israeli prime minister. During a visit last week to Lebanese territory occupied by the Israeli military, Netanyahu told soldiers that Israel would not withdraw from the country’s south as long as the Iran-backed group Hezbollah continued to pose a threat.
AdThe comments follow a security agreement reached on June 26 between the Israeli and Lebanese governments, which was mediated by the United States. Under the terms of that deal, Israel is set to hand over two areas to the Lebanese army.