Lebanon pushes for full Israeli withdrawal ahead of Washington ceasefire talks

Hours before a second round of direct talks with Israel expected in Washington on Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that any agreement emerging from ongoing ceasefire diplomacy with Israel must include a “full withdrawal” of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. The comments come as mediators work to extend a fragile 10-day ceasefire and prevent further escalation.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Salam said Beirut is urging the US to press Israel to extend the ceasefire and revise its negotiating position. “We cannot live with a so-called buffer zone,” he said, rejecting proposals that would leave Israeli forces in place in southern Lebanon.

Salam also addressed criticism that his government has not done enough to disarm Hezbollah, saying Lebanese authorities had taken “bold decisions” and made progress by confiscating weapons and outlawing Hezbollah military activity. “Disarmament is a process; it’s not something that’s going to happen overnight. But what’s more important is that we have shown seriousness,” he said, adding that “the only way to do it is to strengthen the army.”

The second round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington is scheduled to begin at the White House at 4:00PM local time, according to Lebanese media. These discussions are taking place against the backdrop of a fragile ten-day ceasefire between the two countries. According to the same sources, Beirut is expected to request an extension of the current truce from 20 to 40 days.

According to Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos, President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon’s ambassador to the US will carry proposals in Thursday's meeting focused on extending the ceasefire, halting destruction of homes, places of worship, and attacks on civilians, journalists, medical staff, and educational institutions. Aoun said the initiative aims to “address the breaches that occurred to the ceasefire” and open a path toward negotiations.

Aoun also said communications with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had focused on stopping ceasefire violations and launching a negotiation track based on ending the state of war with Israel, Israeli withdrawal from disputed areas, the return of prisoners, and deployment of the Lebanese army to internationally recognized borders. He said reports claiming direct contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were incorrect.

The Lebanese president added that the issue of Lebanon is returning to the US diplomatic agenda, saying this could open the door to reconstruction and economic recovery if talks progress. He also expressed hope for a future visit to Washington, noting that he was not considering a meeting with Netanyahu.