US President Donald Trump, in a phone conversation last week, asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin the process of withdrawing Israeli troops from southern Syria and Lebanon. The report said that Trump warned that Israel’s continued military presence in Syrian territory could increase instability in the region.
According to a US official, Trump told Netanyahu, “They don’t want you to be there. You should deploy your troops elsewhere.” The official added that Trump delivered the same message regarding Israel’s strategic military position in southern Lebanon. The conversation came a day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Türkiye.
‘There is no greater friend of Israel than President Trump’
According to the report, during the summit, the US administration intensified efforts to create a new security framework between Israel and Syria. The White House declined to comment on specific details of the telephone conversation, but did not deny it. A US official told US media, “President Trump has a strong relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Israel has always been a great ally of the United States. There has been no greater friend of Israel or fighter for peace than President Trump.”
According to reports, Netanyahu opposed Trump’s demand and said that Israel’s strategic military presence is necessary to protect its borders. In an official statement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, “The Prime Minister, for his part, stressed the need for a security zone along Israel’s borders.” According to the report, the Trump administration has been trying to negotiate a new security agreement between Jerusalem and Damascus for several months. US officials said Washington is trying to phase out Israeli defense forces from Syrian areas captured after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
Netanyahu is not listening to Trump?
However, according to reports, US officials believe that Netanyahu is hesitant in making strategic concessions demanded by Washington. This issue has become even more urgent following a series of recent clashes in southern Syria, where locals demonstrated against the presence of Israeli Defense Forces and engaged in direct clashes with Israeli personnel. These diplomatic developments come as US-backed talks between Israel and Lebanon resumed in Rome on Tuesday.
US mediators met with Israeli and Lebanese diplomatic teams to discuss implementing the framework agreement released a few weeks ago. Under the agreement, Israel promised to withdraw its troops from two pilot zones located in southern Lebanon, clearing the way for the Lebanese Armed Forces to deploy to those areas. Nevertheless, the Israeli Defense Forces have not yet deployed their forces from the designated areas.