Nawaf Salam: Israel Must Set a Clear Timeline for Withdrawal from Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the necessity of halting Israeli operations, expanding demilitarized zones, and establishing a clear timetable for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese soil.

This came during his meeting today, Friday, with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Aoun, General Joseph Clifft, head of the Special Military Coordination Group in Lebanon (MCG4L), and the accompanying military delegation.

The meeting focused on the military dimension of the negotiation framework and field developments in the south, as reported by the National News Agency.

Salam underscored that "it is essential to halt Israeli destruction operations, expand the scope of demilitarized zones, and set a clear, defined timeline for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory."

Nawaf Salam had previously responded sharply to statements by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, who accused the Lebanese government of making "free concessions" to Israel.

In a post on X platform, Salam said, "Today we are confronted by someone accusing the political leadership of aiding Israel instead of defending Lebanon's sovereignty, then calling for dialogue and unity as if Lebanese people have no memory."

Salam affirmed that "the truth is that the greatest assistance provided to Israel came from those who single-handedly dragged Lebanon into futile 'support' wars, giving Israel pretexts to attack our country, trample our sovereignty, destroy our cities and villages, kill our sons, and displace hundreds of thousands of our people."

He stressed that "those who unilaterally decided on war and now seek to monopolize state decision-making, tying Lebanon to external calculations and alliances while ignoring the interests of its own environment and the Lebanese people at large, have no right to issue certificates of patriotism, let alone sovereignty."

He added: "Lebanon’s sovereignty can only be achieved through a single, independent decision within a state with one army, exercising its authority over all its territory solely through its own means," noting that dialogue and unity can only be built through the courage to acknowledge harsh realities and take responsibility for reckless choices that continue to exact a heavy price from the Lebanese people.

Salam reaffirmed: "The state remains committed to removing the Israeli occupation from every inch of our land, recovering all our prisoners, and ensuring conditions for the dignified and safe return of our people to their cities, villages, fields, and homes, and rebuilding them."