Israel has reportedly asked the US for more time to withdraw from southern Lebanon - only days before the deadline to do so is up. Hezbollah says this is unacceptable, and support for Lebanon from major international players is on display.
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Israel asked the US for a further 30 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, according to local media, only days ahead of the 60-day deadline stipulated in the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
The news comes as Israel claims the terms of the ceasefire with Hezbollah were not being implemented quickly enough and that more progress was needed. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed militant group called for increased pressure to ensure Israeli forces withdraw by Monday - as outlined in the agreement.
The deal, brokered by the US and France, requires Israeli troops to withdraw from southern Lebanon, for Hezbollah to remove fighters and weapons from the area and that Lebanese troops deploy in the region.
It ended more than a year of hostilities between both factions, which peaked with an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon that displaced more than 1.2 million people and killed more than 3,500 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
However, Israel claims that the Lebanese army has deployed too slowly and that they reportedly continue to find Hezbollah weapons caches.
Hezbollah said in a statement that Israel postponing its withdrawal would be unacceptable and “an infringement on Lebanese sovereignty.”
Support for Lebanon
Commitment to supporting Lebanon has been reaffirmed by major international players, including the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
“Lebanon is entering a new phase of hope and optimism,” he said while visiting the country on Thursday, discussing support for displaced Lebanese refugees following the conflict with top state officials.
Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat also made his first official trip to Lebanon in a decade after years of strained ties – sparking optimism of future collaboration between the oil-rich kingdom and the war-ravaged country.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit came after Lebanon this month elected its first president in over two years and appointed a new prime minister.
The ascension of both army chief General Joseph Aoun as president, as well as diplomat and former head of the International Criminal Court Nawaf Salam as prime minister-designate are both seen as major blows to Hezbollah.
“We have great confidence in His Excellency the president, and the prime minister-designate's ability to work on the necessary reforms to build safety, stability and a united Lebanon,” the prince said after meeting with Aoun.
The Saudi minister also reiterated his country’s support for the ceasefire, calling for the “complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from Lebanese territory.”
New era of collaboration?
In the past, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries had been concerned about Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies’ rising influence in government.
With Hezbollah and its leadership massively affected following the war with Israel, bin Farhan’s visit could herald a new era of collaboration between the two countries as Saudi Arabia reports new areas of economic growth.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal al-Ibrahim said non-oil activities “today represent 52% of our total real GDP for the first time.”
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said he saw Saudi-US relations as a "win-win" and likely to remain on a strong footing under US President Donald Trump.
“We need each other. And as long as there is a win-win-deal, we will continue. And I think that is going to continue now and in the foreseeable future,” he explained.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Thursday the kingdom wants to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years.
On the possibility of a broader deal to diplomatically recognize Israel, al-Jadaan said Saudi Arabia was in "no rush."
"We need to make sure that we have an irrevocable path towards a two-state solution," he stressed.