Sisi urges immediate Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon during visit by President Aoun

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Monday called on Israel to withdraw its forces “immediately” from southern Lebanon, during an official visit to Cairo by Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun.

In a joint press conference with Aoun, Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s “firm position in support of Lebanon” and expressed “strong rejection of Israel’s repeated violations of Lebanese territory, as well as its continued occupation of parts of it.”

He added, “Egypt continues its intensive efforts to push for an immediate and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory, in line with the cessation of hostilities agreement and the full and simultaneous implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.” 

He said this would allow the Lebanese state to “assert its sovereignty over its land and strengthen the role of the Lebanese army in extending its authority south of the Litani River.”

For his part, Aoun called on the international community to “compel Israel to implement” the ceasefire agreement and withdraw “from all Lebanese territory up to our internationally recognized borders, and to release all Lebanese detainees.”

Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to U.N. Resolution 1701, stressing that “no Lebanese has an interest in excluding themselves from the path toward a comprehensive and just peace,” according to the Lebanese presidency.

He added that regional stability “can only be achieved through lasting peace.”