Pres. Joseph Aoun of Lebanon. (Photo: Lebanon Presidency/AFP).
Lebanon’s president will soon meet with high-ranking officials in the US to further strengthen the ceasefire in the south of this country.
Pres. Joseph Aoun left Beirut on Saturday for Washington, where he is expected to meet with pres. Donald Trump of the USA will hold talks. His trip follows just after talks between Israel and Lebanon came to an end in Italy earlier in the week.
This will be the first visit by a Lebanese head of state to Washington since Michel Sleiman in 2009 by ex-pres. Barack Obama was received.
According to the Lebanese presidency, Aoun will meet with several American officials about the situation in Lebanon and ways to strengthen the ceasefire, especially in the south of the country. The withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories still occupied will also be discussed.
In April, Israel and Lebanon began negotiations through American mediation to reach a peace agreement and permanently end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
On June 26, the parties reached a framework agreement in Washington according to which the Israeli army will gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon, while the Lebanese army will be deployed in two so-called trial zones.
However, the deal is dependent on the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah giving up its weapons. Hezbollah has unequivocally rejected the plan and the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
According to an American official, after the latest round of talks in Rome, Israel and Lebanon agreed on the structure and guidelines for the implementation of the trial zones.
Meanwhile, a source in the Lebanese army told AFP that patrols had been stepped up in several towns along areas occupied by Israel in preparation for the implementation of the trial zones.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East conflict on March 2 when the group began carrying out attacks on Israel in support of its ally Iran.
Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground offensive and despite the ceasefire still carries out sporadic attacks. Israel also retains control over parts of southern Lebanon which it describes as a “security zone”.
The US Embassy has meanwhile warned Americans not to travel to Lebanon due to the high level of tension in the Middle East.