Israeli media revealed, citing informed sources, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed US President Donald Trump that Israel is not bound by the clause related to Lebanon in the current agreement between Washington and Tehran, stressing his government’s adherence to its security positions in the Lebanese arena.
According to the sources, Netanyahu stressed during his contacts with the US administration that Israel will not withdraw from the sites where it is deployed inside Lebanese territory, and that the Israeli army will continue to be stationed at those points during the next stage.
The sources also reported that the mini-Israeli security government, the “cabinet,” supports Netanyahu’s policy towards Lebanon, and supports the continuation of the measures that Israel considers necessary to preserve its security interests.
The sources confirmed that the Israeli army will respond to any attacks that Hezbollah may carry out, indicating that Tel Aviv does not intend to change the rules of engagement related to the Lebanese front, despite the recent political and diplomatic developments in the region.
She added that Israel adheres to what it describes as its “security interests” in Lebanon, in reference to the continuing disagreements over the future of the Israeli military presence at a number of border points, in conjunction with international efforts aimed at establishing the calm and stopping the escalation.
These positions come at a time when there are increasing indications that an American-Iranian understanding is approaching that includes security and military arrangements at the regional level, amid questions about the extent to which these understandings are reflected on the Lebanese front and the possibility of all parties committing to their terms.
It seems that the Israeli position reflects an attempt to separate any American-Iranian understandings from files directly related to Israeli security, especially in Lebanon, where Tel Aviv still believes that any field arrangements must take into account its own military and security calculations.
