Lebanon’s President To Meet Trump In Washington

By Staff, Agencies

The Lebanese Embassy in Washington announced that President Joseph Aoun has been invited to the US capital to meet President Donald Trump on July 21.

In a statement, the embassy said the invitation "reflects the ongoing partnership between Lebanon and the United States" and provides an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss matters of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, regional security files, and continued US support for Lebanon's sovereignty, stability, territorial integrity, and state institutions.

The embassy added that it is coordinating all aspects of US President Aoun's visit in close collaboration with the Lebanese presidency, the White House, and the US State Department to ensure the success of the bilateral meeting.

The invitation comes shortly after late June, when President Aoun received a telephone call from President Trump, during which the US leader congratulated him on the signing of a "framework agreement" between Lebanon and "Israel" under US auspices.

For his part, "Israeli" Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter has stated that the framework agreement with Lebanon is contingent on conditions on the ground rather than a fixed schedule for "Israeli" withdrawal, reiterating that the core objective of the deal is the "dismantling of Hezbollah".

According to The "Jerusalem" Post, Leiter emphasized that "Israel" would not pull back from the so-called security zone in southern Lebanon until the Lebanese army establishes full control over areas south of the Litani River and until Hezbollah no longer maintains an armed presence in the region.

The remarks effectively reaffirm the continued "Israeli" occupation in southern Lebanon under the current security arrangements.

Speaking on the Jewish People Policy Institute's podcast on July 2, Leiter said he had led "Israel's" negotiating team in talks with Lebanon that produced the existing framework agreement.

"The focus of the agreement is the dismantling of Hezbollah, not 'Israel's' withdrawal," Leiter said, underscoring what he described as "Israel's" central objective guiding its position in the accord.

The ambassador also cautioned that statements by "Israeli" politicians could negatively affect "Israel's" standing in Washington, suggesting that inconsistent messaging may complicate diplomatic coordination with the US.