Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene a small security consultation on the Syria-Lebanon file, amid concern in Jerusalem that Syria may be taking steps toward sending forces into Lebanon. Israel strongly opposes any Syrian military entry into Lebanese territory, but officials fear that such a move is being prepared, prompting Netanyahu to call the meeting to prepare for that scenario.
The discussion follows remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who told Fox News he was frustrated that Israel could not “move” Hezbollah away from the border and said the IDF “cannot do anything without knocking down buildings.” Trump added that he was close to empowering Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara so his forces would enter southern Lebanon and fight Hezbollah.
Al-Shara responded that Trump had expressed concern about what is happening in Lebanon and wanted to stop the war there, and said he had spoken about Syria’s role in finding a safe solution. He rejected reports that Syria was about to invade Lebanon, saying the statement was misunderstood. He also said Syria has a “deep problem” with Hezbollah but does not want “all of Lebanon to die,” arguing that Lebanon cannot remain trapped between civil war and war with Israel.
Al-Shara added that Lebanese Shiites need calm rather than more fear and confrontation, and said he would sit with Hezbollah if it served Syrian and Lebanese interests. He said real peace with Israel requires objective conditions, and accused Hezbollah of stripping the Lebanese state of its authority over war and peace. Trump had first floated the idea publicly five days earlier at the G7 summit, when he said a deal with Iran could survive an Israeli strike in Lebanon and suggested that Syria should now deal with Hezbollah.
