Nawaf Salam calls on Washington to activate the Tripartite Framework and Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon

During the meeting, 'the developments in Lebanon and the region, and the path to restoring Lebanon's full sovereignty' were discussed, according to a statement by the Lebanese Prime Minister's Media Office.

Salam emphasized 'the need to move to a phase of activating the tripartite framework (...) to achieve the restoration of Lebanon's full sovereignty, the complete withdrawal of Israel from Lebanese territory, and the exclusive possession of weapons by the state over its entire territory'.

Salam stressed 'the importance of setting a clear timeline for implementing the commitments in the framework agreement, to ensure the progress of the Israeli withdrawal and the expansion of state authority and the exclusivity of weapons', according to the same statement.

The agreement reached on June 26 last year between Beirut and Tel Aviv under the auspices of Washington, stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army there, and the disarmament of armed groups, referring to 'Hezbollah'.

The agreement also stipulated the adoption of the principle of pilot areas for the implementation of its provisions, but it was only applied to 3 towns in southern Lebanon, namely Frun, Srifa, and Zoutar al-Gharbiya in Nabatieh District, while more than 50 towns remain occupied.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some of which have been occupied for decades, and others since the previous war between 2006 and 2007, while during the last war it penetrated about 10 kilometers deep into Lebanese territory.

During the meeting, Salam said that 'Lebanon looks forward to a renewed partnership with the United States that keeps pace with the project of rebuilding the state and strengthening its legitimate institutions'.

He pointed to 'the importance of continued US support for the Lebanese army and enhancing its capabilities, to enable it to fulfill its responsibilities and expand state authority over its entire territory', according to the same statement.

The statement noted that 'Secretary Rubio affirmed the United States' commitment to supporting Lebanon and its legitimate institutions, continuing to support the Lebanese army and enhancing its capabilities, and stressed the importance of continuing to implement the tripartite framework to achieve stability and security'.

About a week ago, a preparatory meeting in the French capital, Paris, discussed ways to support the Lebanese army and internal security forces, amid international efforts to strengthen the army's capabilities and enable it to assume broader security responsibilities in the south of the country with the imminent start of the gradual withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon 'UNIFIL' at the end of 2026.

The meeting came at a time when Lebanon is facing a sensitive security and political phase, where the issue of strengthening the army's capabilities intersects with the future of the international military presence in the south, the continued Israeli presence in parts of Lebanese territory, and the dispute over 'Hezbollah's' weapons, in addition to international efforts to arrange the phase that will follow the end of 'UNIFIL's' mandate.