Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called for a clear timetable for Israeli forces to withdraw from the country as Israel’s military activities in southern Lebanon continued.
On Friday, Salam received Michel Issa, the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, and General Joseph Clerville, head of the special military coordination group for Lebanon, in Beirut. The meeting addressed the military dimension of the negotiating framework and the latest developments on the ground in southern Lebanon.
Salam calls for a withdrawal timetable
Salam said a clear timetable was needed for Israel to halt its demolition operations, expand the scope of the pilot areas and withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also met with Ambassador Issa and General Clerville in Beirut. No separate statement was issued on the content of Berri’s meeting.
Military presence continues in southern Lebanon
The meetings took place as the United States monitored the negotiating process between Lebanon and Israel. Lebanon and Israel agreed in Washington on June 26 on a framework providing for Israel’s gradual withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Israel’s military activities and violations in southern Lebanon have continued since the agreement. Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said Israeli forces would not withdraw from Lebanon until Hezbollah was disarmed and the threat it posed to Israel was eliminated.
At a ceremony marking the re-establishment of the Ganim settlement in the northern occupied West Bank, Katz also said the Israeli army controlled an area of 700 square kilometers in Lebanese territory. He said the area accounted for approximately 7 percent of Lebanon’s total land area.
U.S. opposes permanent military presence
A U.S. State Department official said a permanent Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon would conflict with the obligations set out in the framework agreement and would not serve the interests of peace.
According to Lebanese authorities, 4,335 people have been killed, 12,277 wounded and more than 1 million displaced in Israeli attacks that began on March 2.
Israel maintains control over areas in southern Lebanon, some of which have been held for decades and others since the war period between 2023 and 2024. Israeli forces reportedly advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the latest operations.
