Aoun: Lebanon-Israel talks making progress, better than destructive war

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Tuesday that negotiations with Israel are making progress and remain preferable to the consequences of another destructive war, stressing that Lebanon will not accept a continued Israeli military presence on its territory.

Aoun made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the Maronite Foundation in the World, headed by Rose Choueiry.

“Negotiations are making progress and, in all circumstances, are better than the results of the devastating war against us,” Aoun said.

He noted that Israeli attacks on Lebanon had decreased following the signing of the framework agreement, which he said had also helped encourage Lebanese expatriates to return to the country for the summer.

Aoun said there was broad agreement among Lebanese political forces on the main objectives of the negotiations, including an Israeli withdrawal, the return of detainees and prisoners, and the reconstruction of areas destroyed during the conflict.

“In the end, we will not allow Israel to remain on even a single inch of our land, nor will we allow a single Israeli soldier to remain on our territory,” Aoun said.

Addressing calls for confronting Israel through military force, Aoun said developments on the ground had demonstrated the limitations of the argument that territory taken by force can only be recovered through force.

“It is time for the people of the south to live in peace and stability on their land, instead of wars continuing to be waged in their name for non-Lebanese objectives,” he said.

Aoun also reiterated that rebuilding state institutions remains his central objective despite opposition from those, he said, seeking to undermine the foundations of the state.

“My goal today is to rebuild the state, whatever the cost, despite the opposition of those seeking to destroy the foundations of the state and prevent its reconstruction,” he said.