MembersTrump wants Israel out of Lebanon and Syria. Israelis have heard this before

US President Donald Trump is reportedly pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and southern Syria.

The argument from Washington is familiar enough: Israel should redeploy, tensions will calm, local governments will take responsibility, and America will oversee the process.

Israelis have heard this before.

According to reports, Trump told Netanyahu that Israel’s continued military presence in parts of Syria and Lebanon could fuel instability. “They don’t want you there,” the president told the Israeli leader, according to a US official cited by Axios.

That may be true. Hezbollah certainly does not want Israel there. Iran does not want Israel there. Jihadist factions in southern Syria do not want Israel there. The question is why their preference should determine Israel’s security policy.

Netanyahu’s answer was equally familiar: Israel needs security zones along its borders.

That’s the hard-earned lesson of October 7.

Trump:

It would be good if Israel got out of parts of Lebanon and...

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