‘The Word Withdrawal Does Not Appear’: Daizy Gedeon Questions Lebanon-Israel Agreement With Dr. Matthew Levitt
August 10, 2026
CAN A PEACE AGREEMENT WORK WITHOUT THE WORD “WITHDRAWAL”?
When you look at the fine print of the new U.S.-brokered framework, a glaring detail emerges:
The word “withdrawal” never appears.
Instead, the document speaks strictly of “redeployment.”
Is this just diplomatic legal jargon, or is it a sign of a persistent occupation under a different name?
In this snippet from Real Talk, I sit down with Matthew Levitt—former FBI counterterrorism official, former U.S. Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute—to break down what this wording actually means on the ground.
While Levitt maintains that the ultimate intent of the text is a complete Israeli departure from Lebanese territory, he highlights the critical condition: Israel’s exit is tied directly to the clearing and third-party verification of Hezbollah infrastructure.
Watch the full clip to hear our debate on whether peace can truly be negotiated while villages are still being bombed and bulldozed.
To learn more from Matthew Levitt, be sure to check out his podcast, Breaking Hezbollah’s Golden Rule, where he explores Hezbollah’s activities, regional security, and developments across the Middle East. You can also read his book, Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God, an in-depth examination of Hezbollah’s international networks, operations, and global influence.
Watch the full episode now on YouTube. Link in bio.
#Israel #Lebanon #Washington #LebanonAgreement #RealTalk
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