April 24, 2026 | 01:46 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lebanon said it would not sign any agreement with Israel unless it includes a "full withdrawal" of Israeli forces from its territory, as reported by the Washington Post on Thursday, as cited by i24News. The report quoted Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's statement just hours before the second round of direct talks with Israel.
On the other hand, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a three-week ceasefire starting Thursday night.
Salam stated that Beirut urged the U.S. to press Israel to extend the ceasefire and revise its negotiating stance. “We cannot live with a so-called buffer zone. Israeli presence where Lebanese displaced people are not allowed to return, where destroyed villages and towns cannot be rebuilt," Salam said.
Salam also responded to criticism that his government had not done enough to disarm Hezbollah. He said that the Lebanese authorities had made "bold decisions" and made progress by seizing weapons and banning Hezbollah's military activities.
“Disarmament is a process; it’s not something that’s going to happen overnight. But what’s more important is that we have shown seriousness,” he said, adding that “the only way to do it is to strengthen the army.”
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said earlier this week that his willingness to negotiate with Israel does not mean that Beirut has surrendered and is ready to make concessions. However, it is to seek a permanent solution to the armed conflict.
On April 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to destroy the town of Bint Jbeil in Lebanon, calling it a stronghold of the Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.
The U.S. State Department told RIA Novosti, as cited by Antara, that Lebanon and Israel will hold a second round of talks in Washington at the ambassadorial level.
U.S. President Donald Trump previously announced that both parties had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire starting on April 17.
Nevertheless, the Israeli military is routinely accused of violating the ceasefire by launching air and artillery strikes as well as drone attacks.
Read: Trump Says Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Extended by Three Weeks
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