The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon considers Israel's release of Lebanese prisoners a positive step

Beirut, Sept 4 (KUNA) -- The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon on Friday described Israel’s release of a number of Lebanese prisoners and detainees as part of the trilateral agreement as a “positive step.” Through its X (formerly Twitter) account, the embassy said, “We welcome Israel’s release of prisoners within the trilateral framework between Lebanon and Israel and consider this a positive step. We urge both sides to continue building on this momentum in preparation for the next round of talks.”

In a related development, the Lebanese Presidency relayed that President Joseph Aoun, during his meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Aoun and members of the U.S. House and Senate committees on Foreign Affairs and Armed Services, stressed the need to pursue the release of the remaining Lebanese prisoners and detainees held by Israel. He added that this should be done “in accordance with what was agreed upon during the trilateral negotiations and in follow-up to the framework agreement process.”

The Presidency stated that the two sides reviewed the current situation and recent developments, particularly the release of a batch of Lebanese detainees from Israeli prisons, as well as preparations for the upcoming round of Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations. The presidential statement noted that the meeting also discussed U.S. aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces and the appropriations allocated for this purpose in the U.S. Congress.

Additionally, a statement issued by the Lebanese Prime Minister’s Office conveyed that Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, during his meeting with the U.S. ambassador and a delegation from the U.S. Senate, affirmed that the negotiating framework aims at the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Lebanese territory and the extension of state authority over all of Lebanon’s lands.

Earlier today, Lebanon announced that it had received, through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), four prisoners who had been held by Israel at the Ras al-Naqoura border crossing. The ICRC subsequently handed them over to the Lebanese Army in the Mansouri area in southern Lebanon. (End) F.Z./R.J.