Lebanon demands full Israeli withdrawal in any Washington deal: Senior official
Senior Lebanese source tells Anadolu that demand for complete pullout under timeline led to extension of 5th round of Washington talks
BEIRUT (MNTV) – A complete Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory must be included in any “declaration of principles” that could emerge from ongoing negotiations in Washington, a senior Lebanese official said Friday.
Speaking to Anadolu on condition of anonymity, the official said the Lebanese delegation remains committed to securing a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon under a defined timetable.
“The insistence on a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory according to a timetable, and Lebanon’s adherence to this position, led to the extension of the negotiations by an additional day,” the source said.
Early Friday, the US State Department announced that the fifth round of Lebanon-Israel talks had been extended by one day after originally being scheduled to conclude on Thursday.
The Lebanese official stressed that “the withdrawal from all Lebanese territory must be a fundamental element of the declaration of principles should one be reached.”
Addressing proposals involving “model” or “pilot” areas, the source said Lebanon is seeking a precise definition of the areas from which Israeli forces would withdraw.
He explained that Lebanon stipulates that these areas must be “within the Yellow Line for the Lebanese army to enter and not areas where the Israelis are not present.”
The Yellow Line is an unofficial line extending roughly 8 kilometers inside Lebanese territory from the border.
Israel refuses to withdraw from areas within the Yellow Line and insists on maintaining its presence at the Beaufort Castle (Qalaat al-Shaqif) position in southern Lebanon.
Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, some for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war.
Since March 2, 2026, Israeli aggressions in Lebanon has killed 4,230 people and injured 12,179 others, while displacing more than 1 million people, according to official Lebanese figures.
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