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US President Donald Trump, meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, is asked whether he wants Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanon and whether there is a timeline for such a pull-out.
The US president is noncommittal, but says Israel is “in the process of doing that.”
“They’re in the process of redeploying other sections,” Trump adds.
Aoun is also asked about Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s opposition to the US-brokered framework deal between Israel and Lebanon.
Aoun downplays criticism from Berri, who is seen as an ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group. Aoun argues that the deal doesn’t require the endorsement of the Lebanese parliament.
While Berri may oppose the framework deal for eventual peace between Israel and Lebanon, Aoun notes that the parliament speaker and he are in agreement on their desire to end the conflict in south Lebanon.
“He’s from the south, and he did his best to rebuild the south. But unfortunately, things are being destroyed in front of his eyes,” Aoun says of Berri.
Aoun claims Berri is actually supportive of his government’s approach to dealing with Israel but has to be careful with how he presents those views publicly, given that he is a representative of the Shiite population.
Trump chimes in to praise Berri, adding that he’ll come around on the deal “when he sees the progress made.”
Trump is asked whether he will raise his previously stated desire for Lebanon to scrap legislation outlawing contact with Israel during his meeting today with Aoun.
Trump briefly responds that he will before pivoting to tout the importance of the Abraham Accords. Scrapping the legislation doesn’t appear to be as much of a priority for the US anymore, given that it hasn’t prevented direct talks between the two countries.
Trump also calls Aoun “handsome,” adding that he “could become one of the most important leaders in the Middle East.”
The post Trump says Israel ‘in the process’ of withdrawing from Lebanon, is noncommittal about timeline appeared first on The Times of Israel.
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