Source: Fortune
Summary
President Donald Trump pledged to help Lebanon “a lot” during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House. Aoun’s visit aimed to push for long-term calm after months of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Trump announced that he would allow American carriers to resume direct flights to Lebanon for the first time in over 40 years. The US has been mediating rare direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, which have never had formal diplomatic ties and have been in a state of war for nearly 80 years.
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The strategy enters a familiar phase.
President Trump pledged to help Lebanon “a lot” without giving concrete details. He also announced the resumption of direct flights to Lebanon, suspended since 1985. The US is mediating talks between Lebanon and Israel, which have been in a state of war for nearly 80 years. The framework agreement aims to withdraw Israeli troops and disarm Hezbollah. Trump suggested he could speak with Hezbollah if Aoun wanted him to. The pilot zones got off to a rocky start, with Israeli troops firing near an area where Lebanese soldiers were deploying.
The announcement sounds like a familiar attempt to rebrand a decades-long conflict as a new opportunity for peace and stability.
Author: Evan Null
