Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter has outlined Israel's vision for a negotiated resolution with Lebanon, in an interview with This is Beirut.
Yechiel Leiter © Mena Today
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter has outlined Israel's vision for a negotiated resolution with Lebanon, in an interview with This is Beirut.
The diplomat described a two-track approach: the first focused on security cooperation aimed at strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) against Hezbollah, the second centered on a parallel civilian track working toward a future peace agreement between the two countries.
Ambassador Leiter was unequivocal on Israel's intentions regarding its presence in Lebanon. Israel has no interest in remaining on Lebanese soil, he stressed, and would withdraw once Hezbollah is dismantled. He emphasized that Israel's military presence is driven solely by the need to protect its civilians from attacks launched by the group.
The statement signals that Israel views the LAF as a credible partner in curbing Hezbollah's influence, a significant diplomatic signal at a time when Lebanon is navigating a delicate political transition and international pressure mounts for a lasting ceasefire framework.
Lebanon and Syria will in the coming months begin revising decades-old trade agreements to revive their economic relationship following the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in 2024, Lebanon's economy minister told Reuters on Thursday.
High in the hills above Beirut, where mist settles over crumbling villas and the past hangs heavier than the mountain air, stands a building that time has been unusually gentle with, even as neglect has not.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told parliament Thursday that the "ill-fated" framework agreement signed on June 26 between Lebanon and Israel was "doomed to fail," insisting "the Zionists will not be able to impose its implementation" and that "our people will thwart its effects on the ground."
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