US President Donald Trump spoke today with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and announced that “the two leaders have agreed that, in order to achieve peace between their countries, they will formally begin a 10-day ceasefire at 5pm Eastern”.
Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon: what it entails
“On Tuesday, the two countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. I charged Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, along with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve lasting peace. It has been my honor to resolve 9 wars around the world, and this will be my tenth, so let’s get busy and bring complete this work.” The US president writes it on the social network Truth.
“I will invite Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983. Both sides want to see peace, and I believe that will happen quickly,” the US president said. It is unclear whether the parties have accepted the invitation and whether the meeting is confirmed.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he welcomed the temporary ceasefire agreement with Israel, which he said Lebanon has been requesting since the outbreak of the war. He says he hopes the agreement will allow those who have been displaced by the conflict to return to their homes. Salam also praises international efforts to reach a ceasefire.
However, Israel has no plans to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon during the announced ten-day ceasefire. An Israeli security official confirmed the position, as reported by Reuters. “I responded to Trump’s call and accepted a temporary ceasefire to hold talks. We have two demands: disarmament of Hezbollah and a lasting peace agreement. We remain in Lebanon in a larger security zone. That is where we are and we will not leave from there”, declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Meloni: “Excellent news, we will do our part”
“The announcement of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is excellent news and I congratulate the Lebanese and Israeli governments for having achieved this important result thanks to the mediation of the United States”, commented Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“It is now essential that the ceasefire is fully respected. Hezbollah, which is responsible for starting this conflict, must cease all action against Israel and respect the decisions taken by the Lebanese government – the Prime Minister’s hope – I also hope that the ceasefire can create the conditions for the success of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, leading to a full and lasting peace”.
“In this framework, Italy will continue to do its part by contributing to the maintenance of peace along the Blue Line through its military contingent in Unifil, a UN mission of which it holds command, and to support Lebanese sovereignty also through the strengthening of the Lebanese armed forces”.