Trump urges Netanyahu to withdraw troops from Syria and Lebanon; Israel faces multiple pressures
Trump is exerting diplomatic pressure on Israel, demanding it withdraw troops from occupied areas in Syria and Lebanon, but under the dual constraints of domestic political and security logic, the Netanyahu government has extremely limited space for substantive concessions.
According to CCTV reports, on the 14th local time, Israel and Lebanon began the sixth round of negotiations in Rome, Italy. This round of negotiations lasts two days, and the first day’s meeting ended on the evening of the same day, Israeli local time. It is the first meeting between the two countries since they signed a framework agreement in Washington last month.
Reportedly, the focus of this round of talks is a pilot program, discussing the specific implementation plan for the first Israeli withdrawal from two pilot areas in southern Lebanon.
Also, according to reports citing US and Israeli officials, last Thursday Trump, in a phone call with Netanyahu, explicitly demanded Israel begin withdrawing from Syria and urged similar action on Lebanon.
This is Trump's most direct public pressure on Israel's military presence in these two places so far. The call happened the day after Trump met with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa during the NATO summit in Turkey, making the timing particularly sensitive.
With only three months left until Israel's next election, for Netanyahu—who is facing dual tests of political survival and personal freedom—large-scale withdrawal is neither in his political interest nor likely to gain the support of the hardliners in his ruling coalition.
Israel and Lebanon Hold Talks in Rome, Focusing on Implementing Pilot Withdrawal Plans
CCTV reported that on the 14th local time, Israel and Lebanon began their sixth round of negotiations in Rome, Italy.
According to the withdrawal plan, Lebanese government forces will enter the areas vacated by the Israeli military to ensure there are no Hezbollah weapons in those regions.
CCTV News mentioned that earlier this week, a US military delegation met with senior Lebanese military officials in Beirut for preliminary discussions on implementing the withdrawal plan.
Israeli Foreign Minister Saar stated on the afternoon of the 14th that Israel is ready to push forward the implementation of these two pilot areas and hopes that the Rome discussions will advance the process.
On June 26, Israel, the United States, and Lebanon concluded a four-day round of ceasefire-withdrawal talks in Washington and announced a tripartite framework agreement.
The tripartite framework agreement includes a pilot program under which Israeli troops withdraw from two areas on either side of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. After the Israeli withdrawal, Lebanese soldiers will be deployed to these areas accompanied by US forces.
Trump Directly Pressures Netanyahu
According to US officials, Trump clearly told Netanyahu in the call that Israeli troops stationed on Syrian territory create tension and could trigger escalation risks.
"They don't want you there. You should withdraw," Trump said, adding the situation in Lebanon is similar.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office later issued a statement saying Netanyahu "raised the necessity of establishing a security zone along Israel’s border" in the call, but did not respond to Trump's specific remarks. The White House declined to comment but did not deny the content.
An American official stated that Trump and Netanyahu maintain a strong relationship, Israel is always an important ally of the United States, and "no one supports Israel or is more committed to promoting peace than Trump." This statement provides diplomatic cushioning for the differences between the sides to some extent.
According to US officials, the Trump administration has been working for months to facilitate a new security agreement between Israel and Syria, with a core requirement that Israel gradually withdraw from Syrian territories it occupied after the Assad regime collapsed in December 2024.
However, the US ultimately judged that Netanyahu was unwilling to make the necessary concessions and negotiations stalled.
Recently, there have been multiple incidents of local Syrian residents protesting Israeli military presence and clashing with Israeli soldiers in southern Syria, further exacerbating regional tensions.
Hardliners within the Israeli government not only advocate for indefinite control of these areas—some even push for the establishment of Jewish settlements there—their stance is diametrically opposed to US demands.
Netanyahu's Political Predicament
For Netanyahu, the current pressures come from multiple directions: Trump's diplomatic demands, resistance from allies Syria and Lebanon, and the upcoming domestic election.
The Israeli government insists that maintaining a military presence in southern Lebanon and southern Syria is a necessary measure to prevent attacks similar to October 7, 2023. This security narrative has broad public support inside Israel.
On the domestic political front, hardliners in the ruling coalition are extremely sensitive about territorial issues, and any actions seen as concessions could undermine the ruling base.
Analysts believe that before the election, it is highly unlikely Netanyahu will take any substantive withdrawal actions; Trump’s pressure is more significant as a signal in the short term, rather than as an immediate policy shift.
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