Washington urges Israel to withdraw from Lebanon

Washington – The United States is pressing Israel to fulfill its commitments and withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, following statements by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz indicating his troops would remain in the occupied territory. This stance directly challenges a US-brokered framework agreement established on June 26.

Under the agreement, Israel was to withdraw its forces from occupied southern Lebanon in exchange for Lebanon disarming Hezbollah and establishing its army as the sole armed group. However, during a visit to the occupied area, Katz asserted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would stay in the security zone spanning Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.

A State Department official told Axios reporter Barak Ravid that the US expects all parties to act in accordance with the agreed framework. "Israel has clearly stated they have no territorial claims in Lebanon," the official noted. "Israel's permanent military presence in southern Lebanon contradicts the commitments made in the agreement framework and is inconsistent with the long-term security interests of both countries."

Israel currently occupies approximately 600 square kilometers of southern Lebanon, including areas north of the Litani River. This occupation has led to the destruction of dozens of villages and forced over 1.2 million Lebanese civilians to flee their homes. Katz, however, has directed the IDF to prepare for a long-term presence, stating, "As clearly stated by Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] and myself, we will not withdraw from this security zone under any circumstances, we will not withdraw."

Netanyahu had previously suggested the possibility of permanently annexing certain areas in southern Lebanon. He claimed in a May interview that some Christian villages sought inclusion into Israeli territory for protection against Hezbollah. Local Christian community leaders in southern Lebanon have denied these claims as fabrications. The ongoing conflict and occupation have also impacted US-Iran peace talks, with a reported memorandum of understanding from July calling for an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities on all fronts, a clause Israel has not observed.