President Aoun urges Israel to honor ceasefire, says Lebanon awaiting US date for talks

President Joseph Aoun said he has coordinated closely with top Lebanese officials throughout the negotiation process, pushing back against criticism over Lebanon’s stance in talks with Israel.

Speaking before a delegation of economic bodies, Aoun said every step related to the negotiations was carried out in coordination and consultation with the Lebanese parliament speaker and prime minister, contrary to claims circulating in the media.

Addressing criticism that Lebanon had agreed, through a U.S. statement issued after trilateral talks in Washington, to grant Israel freedom to continue its attacks, Aoun said the text in question was issued by the U.S. State Department and mirrors a November 2024 statement previously accepted by all parties. 

He stressed that it is a statement, not an agreement, noting that a formal agreement would only come after negotiations conclude.

Aoun said Lebanon is exerting every possible effort to reach a solution to the current situation away from violence and bloodshed, stressing that such a solution can only be achieved through negotiations.

He added that Israel is mistaken if it believes that violations and the destruction of border villages can secure its safety, saying similar approaches in the past have failed.

“The only way to protect the borders is through a strong Lebanese state fully deployed across the south and up to the international border,” Aoun said, adding that Israel must realize that the only path to security is through negotiations, starting with full implementation of the ceasefire.

He acknowledged significant challenges to achieving stability, saying authorities are working to mitigate the impact of Israeli attacks through intensive diplomatic contacts, stressing that such attacks should not continue after a ceasefire is declared.

Aoun said Lebanon is awaiting the United States to set a date to begin negotiations, noting that European Union countries and Arab states have backed Lebanon’s choice of negotiations. He added that there is broad domestic consensus, particularly among residents of the south, on the need to end the war.

The Lebanese file is now on the desk of the U.S. president, Aoun said, noting that the American leader holds Lebanon in special regard and expressed strong praise for the country and its people during a recent phone call.

“This is an opportunity we must seize to move our country toward safety and peace,” he said.