Lebanon’s Joseph Aoun is learning the limits of US influence over Israel
When Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited the White House in July, he told US President Donald Trump of the “urgent need for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory”, describing it as “an essential step to consolidate stability and enable the Lebanese state to extend its full sovereignty exclusively through its own forces”. Mr Aoun’s remarks affirmed the extent to which he was…
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun recently visited the White House to discuss the need for Israel's complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory, viewing it as an essential step to consolidate stability and strengthen the Lebanese state's sovereignty. Aoun expressed his hope that such an outcome would be President Trump's legacy, but likely, this is not the case.
The Trump administration played a significant role in mediating a Lebanon-Israel framework agreement last June, which placed all conditions of implementation on Beirut, without any Israeli commitment to withdraw from Lebanon. The current stalemate in Lebanon seems to be a result of the US's limited influence over Israel, especially considering the administration's focus on the Iran war, midterm elections, and internal US politics.
It is evident that the US lacks a coherent Lebanon policy, and both US envoys to Lebanon have acknowledged that any potential solution might involve Iran or be tied to regional dynamics. While Aoun is seeking alternatives to generate momentum in Lebanon-Israel negotiations, the situation appears to be stuck, as Israel refuses to withdraw forces from additional areas, citing the Lebanese army's failure to disarm Hezbollah.
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