Trump-Netanyahu summit eases Israeli concerns over Lebanon withdrawal pressure

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

With the conclusion of the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli concerns that Trump would pressure Israel into withdrawing from Lebanon came to an end. 

According to the outcome of the meeting, the U.S. president did not commit Israel to any withdrawal, either from Lebanon or Syria.

Based on Israeli claims, Washington accepted Israel's demand not to expand the pilot zones with Lebanon and not to withdraw from any of them, arguing that such withdrawals would allow Hezbollah to strengthen its capabilities and infrastructure.

What Israel considers achievements on the Lebanese file in Washington coincided with threats to strike Hezbollah in response to its drone attack Tuesday targeting a military D9 bulldozer near Ali al-Taher hill.

The threats came alongside continued Israeli artillery shelling of several areas in southern Lebanon and growing speculation about an imminent escalation involving Iran.

Ahead of a new round of negotiations in Rome scheduled for Aug. 4, information emerging from Israel indicated that, in addition to rejecting any withdrawals, Tel Aviv still considers its main dispute with Lebanon to be preserving its freedom to conduct military and security operations on Lebanese territory and in its airspace, a position that continues to hinder any progress in the talks.