Lebanon President Joseph Avn requests US President Trump to press Israel on southern withdrawal

Lebanese President Joseph Avn announced that in his upcoming July 21 visit to Washington he will ask U.S. President Donald Trump to apply pressure on Israel to implement the framework agreement signed on June 26. Avn wants Israel to withdraw from the two pilot zones it occupies in southern Lebanon, return displaced residents, prisoners and the deceased, and support reconstruction.

Avn also instructed Lebanon’s negotiation team, meeting in Rome under U.S. auspices, to demand the immediate Israeli pull‑out from those pilot areas before any other topics are discussed. During the Rome talks he met Prime Minister Nevvaf Selam and received updates on Selam’s recent visit to Turkey and contacts with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The president reiterated that Lebanon will not compromise on its sovereignty or rights and emphasized the need for U.S. backing to strengthen Lebanon’s position in the negotiations.