Israel will not withdraw its troops from Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated, whilst Tel Aviv and Beirut continue negotiations mediated by Washington.
“We have made it clear that under no circumstances will we withdraw our troops,” Katz said on 24 June at the Muni EXPO conference in Tel Aviv, adding that he had conveyed this position to his American counterpart.
“At present – and this is a diplomatic achievement – the US is not demanding that Israel withdraw its troops from Lebanon,” he added.
Katz’s statement came against the backdrop of discussions between Israel and Lebanon during talks in Washington on a US-backed proposal under which Israeli troops would have to leave part of the territory they have occupied and hand over control to Lebanese forces.
Speaking to journalists at the start of the second day of talks, a US State Department spokesperson noted that Israel and Lebanon “are negotiating as two sovereign states with the aim of achieving lasting peace and security”.
“Our common goal is to put an end to the cycle of violence once and for all. The talks continue to contribute to achieving comprehensive peace and security between the two countries,” the spokesperson added.
Israel began striking Hezbollah militants in Lebanon at the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, when Hezbollah forces opened fire in support of Tehran. The Memorandum of Understanding calls for “an immediate and definitive cessation of military operations on all fronts, particularly in Lebanon”.
Hezbollah is both a militant group and a political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. The United States regards it as a terrorist organisation, whilst the European Union has blacklisted its armed wing.