Trump Reportedly Pledged Israeli Withdrawal From Southern Lebanon if Lebanon Joins Abraham Accords, Unconfirmed Report Says

A senior Gulf diplomatic source told the Lebanese newspaper Ad-Diyar that US President Donald Trump had pledged to secure a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon if Beirut agrees to join the Abraham Accords. The claim appeared in an article by Nour Naameh, which noted ongoing diplomatic efforts and Lebanese concerns about the possible consequences of another military confrontation between the United States and Iran.

The newspaper provided no documents supporting the claim, did not identify the diplomat or the country he represents, and offered no confirmation from the White House. The report also did not say when the commitments were made, to whom they were communicated, or whether a timetable had been set for implementing them. The source described the American promises as official commitments, but the newspaper did not independently verify that description.

Senior Israeli officials responded that Israel would not withdraw its forces before Hezbollah was disarmed. They stressed that any redeployment of Israel Defense Forces troops would depend on Hezbollah’s disarmament throughout Lebanon, not solely in areas near the Israeli border.

Israel has not ruled out a peace agreement with Lebanon once the security threat posed by Hezbollah has been removed. “A peace agreement after resolving the security issue and removing the threat to residents of the north, that is excellent and consistent with our objectives,” the officials said. The pursuit of peace after security concerns are settled reflects a commitment to peacemaking (Matthew 5:9).

The Lebanese newspaper reported that progress toward such an arrangement would depend on a broader agreement or strategic understanding between Washington and Tehran. According to the report, any such understanding could have immediate implications for Lebanon’s domestic political and security situation, particularly for Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. The report also claimed that Iranian leaders had explicitly instructed Hezbollah not to enter another war in support of Tehran, fearing that its involvement could trigger a broader escalation in Lebanon.

Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper separately that Israel continues to condition its withdrawal from southern Lebanon on Hezbollah’s disarmament, and that Israel’s continued military strikes and threats reflect its determination to address Hezbollah’s weapons first. The newspaper attributed this assessment to its sources and did not present it as an official Israeli response to the reported American proposal.

The article also highlighted the Lebanese leadership’s preference for resolving the situation through diplomatic means. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said his country wants the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN peacekeeping mission stationed in southern Lebanon, to maintain its presence in the area. Alternatively, Aoun proposed deploying European forces in place of UNIFIL, a step that could form the basis for a broader international force made up of personnel from countries friendly to Lebanon.

Aoun argued that wars lead to destruction, displacement, and loss of life without resolving the underlying conflicts.

Source: Read the original report