Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to meet United States\nPresident Donald Trump at the White House next week. The agenda is aimed\nat discussing efforts to strengthen the ceasefire between Israel and\nHezbollah, including pushing for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from\nsouthern Lebanon.<\/p>\n
According to Al Jazeera, Aoun departed for Washington on Saturday\n(18\/7) at Trump\u2019s invitation. This visit marks the first trip by a\nLebanese head of state to the White House since former President Michel\nSleiman met President Barack Obama in 2009.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the Lebanese Presidency said the meeting would\ndiscuss measures to reinforce the ceasefire, ensure the withdrawal of\nIsraeli troops from southern Lebanon, and restore security and stability\nacross the entire country. The two leaders will also discuss efforts to\nexpand the Lebanese government\u2019s authority throughout the nation\u2019s\nterritory.<\/p>\n
Aoun\u2019s visit comes just days after Lebanese and Israeli officials\nconcluded the latest round of US-mediated negotiations in Rome.\nAccording to a US official, both sides have agreed on further steps to\nestablish \u2018pilot zones\u2019 in southern Lebanon. Under this scheme, Israeli\nforces would begin a phased withdrawal while the Lebanese Armed Forces\ntake over security control of the area.<\/p>\n
The pilot zones are part of a framework agreement reached last June\nto gradually end Israel\u2019s military presence in southern Lebanon.\nHowever, the agreement does not set a deadline for the Israeli troop\nwithdrawal. The pullout process is linked to the condition that\nHezbollah and other armed groups disarm, a requirement Hezbollah has so\nfar rejected.<\/p>\n
Amid the negotiation process, Israeli military operations in southern\nLebanon have not fully ceased. Lebanese state media reported that Israel\nlaunched fresh strikes on two towns in the Tyre and Nabatieh areas,\nlocated on the edge of the security zone. The Israeli military stated\nthe strikes targeted a Hezbollah cell near Tebnit in southern Lebanon\nafter its soldiers detected a Hezbollah drone in the area. Israel\naccused the activity of violating the ceasefire understanding. Hezbollah\nhas yet to respond to the claim.<\/p>\n
The Israeli government has insisted its forces will remain in a\nsecurity zone approximately 10 kilometres wide along the border as long\nas Hezbollah retains its weapons. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has rejected the\nnegotiation process and the existing framework agreement. The group also\nrefuses demands to disarm and has stated that only pressure from its\nally, Iran, can force Israel to end the war and withdraw all its troops\nfrom Lebanon.<\/p>\n
The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began with\ncross-border exchanges of fire after Israel\u2019s war in Gaza erupted in\nOctober 2023. Tensions eventually escalated into open war in March\nfollowing US and Israeli strikes against Iran. Although a ceasefire is\ncurrently in place, Israeli forces still occupy parts of southern\nLebanon and continue to carry out periodic strikes amid negotiations\naimed at reaching a long-term settlement.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/trump-invites-lebanese-president-to-discuss-ceasefire-1784447482", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }