Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to appeal to Donald Trump for support on a sensitive regional issue: making a United States-brokered plan to disarm Hezbollah work while also securing an Israeli military withdrawal from positions in Lebanon.
At the center of Aoun’s push is the idea that progress on Hezbollah cannot be separated from the question of Israeli forces remaining on Lebanese territory. Beirut wants Washington to help turn the plan into something practical, not just diplomatic language, and to reduce concerns that the Israeli presence could become prolonged.
The uncertainty over whether Israel will fully pull back appears to be the main obstacle hanging over the effort. Lebanese officials are trying to avoid a scenario in which military positions remain in place long enough to fuel fears of an open-ended occupation.
Aoun’s outreach underscores how heavily Lebanon is relying on US influence to move both parts of the issue at once: pressure for Hezbollah disarmament and assurances that Israel will withdraw. Whether that balance can be achieved remains the key question surrounding the visit.
