US push for Lebanon and Israel leaders to meet could inflame tensions

The United States is pressuring Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a planned White House visit in May, though no date has been set and the Trump administration has publicly conditioned American support on the meeting occurring. Aoun has stated it is not the right time to meet Netanyahu before a security agreement is reached and Israeli attacks cease, and analysts report the proposal lacks domestic consensus among Lebanese political factions, regional backing from Saudi Arabia, and risks inflaming sectarian tensions given ongoing Israeli occupation and displacement of over 1.2 million people.