The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated on Thursday (23) that the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was extended for another three weeks. The truce had initially been agreed on April 16, with an anticipated duration of ten days.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social network, shortly after a meeting between representatives of the two countries at the White House in Washington. “The meeting was very good!”, the president wrote.
The Republican also said he expects to receive, in the near future, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, for direct conversations between the leaders.
The ceasefire, reached after negotiations between the ambassadors of the two nations in the American capital last week, resulted in a significant reduction of violence. Still, attacks continued in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops maintain a self-declared buffer zone.
Backed by Iran, Hezbollah militants say they have the “right to resist” Israeli forces. Hostilities between the group and Israel intensified again on March 2, when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran in the ongoing regional war.
The ceasefire in Lebanon runs in parallel with Washington’s efforts to resolve its conflict with Iran, which is pushing for the Lebanese territory to be included in any broader truce.
For negotiations to advance toward a peace agreement, Lebanon demands the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas, the return of Lebanese detainees in Israel, and the delineation of the land border. Israel, for its part, says that its objectives in the talks include ensuring the dismantling of Hezbollah.
With Reuters
