President Trump greeted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House on Tuesday and shared optimism about Israel’s planned withdrawal from south Lebanon and efforts to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists.
Mr. Trump greeted Mr. Aoun with a warm, lengthy handshake after he arrived in front of the West Wing in a black SUV with American and Lebanese flags.
“We feel very good about Lebanon,” Mr. Trump told reporters.
That optimism continued in the Oval Office, where the leaders hailed a late June agreement between Israel and Lebanon that called for a phased-in withdrawal of Israeli troops, who routed Lebanon in response to Hezbollah attacks.
“They’re in the process of doing that. They’re in the process of redeploying,” Mr. Trump said of Israeli forces.
As part of an agreement, Israeli withdrawal from so-called pilot areas must be accompanied by the disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese armed forces.
Mr. Aoun is the first Lebanese president to visit the White House since 2009.
He thanked Mr. Trump for negotiating the June framework with the “ultimate objective of ending the state of hostility between Israel and Lebanon forever.
“This will be your legacy,” he told Mr. Trump. “Together, we will be able to achieve this objective.”
Thousands of Lebanese people have been killed in recent fighting, which began earlier this year alongside the U.S. war on Iran to prevent Tehran from getting a nuclear weapon.
Hezbollah is a Shiite militant group that acts as a political party and an Iran-backed proxy in Lebanon.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has been a complicating factor in the pursuit of a broader Middle East peace.
Iran is upset about the Israeli assault and says its withdrawal from Lebanon must be part of a broader deal.
Hezbollah is reluctant to participate in U.S.-brokered negotiations, however, and Mr. Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are negotiating through the Americans rather than meeting directly.
Mr. Trump insists the U.S. and Israel remain on the same page, but he’s urged Mr. Netanyahu to urge more caution and avoid civilian deaths in his attacks on Hezbollah.
Mr. Trump characterized Lebanon as a wonderful place that’s been caught in the crossfire between fighting groups.
“They love the country, very smart people, very successful people,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s been a very badly treated place and country, and we’re gonna have it properly treated, and treated with the respect it deserves.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Mr. Aoun on Sunday.
“I commended his courage and his government’s work to reclaim their country and advance towards peace,” Mr. Rubio said on social media. “The United States remains committed to supporting this effort and Lebanon’s efforts to deliver security, peace and a better future for the Lebanese people.”
