Gaza peace summit leaves Lebanon on the sidelines: Can Beirut balance pragmatism and security?

Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

As Arab and world leaders arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh, Lebanese officials remained on the sidelines, watching the proceedings of the Gaza peace summit from afar.

At the same time, a series of messages were sent to Lebanon: that it was not invited to the summit, that reconstruction was prohibited, and that it must find a solution to Hezbollah’s weapons.

These messages reached all official headquarters over the weekend — from Baabda to Ain el-Tineh to the Grand Serail.

Before U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his remarks, Baabda Palace issued a statement by President Joseph Aoun that came as a surprise.

“Negotiations are necessary, and the form they take will be determined at the appropriate time,” Aoun said. He added, during a meeting with a delegation of journalists, that Lebanon had previously negotiated with Israel under U.S. and U.N. auspices, leading to the maritime border demarcation agreement. 

“What prevents us from doing the same again to resolve outstanding issues,” he asked, “especially since the war has achieved nothing and the current atmosphere is one of compromise?”

With this, the president responded to the foreign messages, saying Lebanon is ready for negotiations, without specifying whether they would be direct or indirect.

His remarks came shortly after Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Israel’s message was clear: the rebuilding of destroyed towns is prohibited, but entering into direct negotiations is rejected.

Sources at the Grand Serail said Lebanon is paying the price for delays in completing its obligations. Regional and international efforts are moving quickly, while Lebanon remains stalled, hampered by its continued allowance of weapons outside state authority.

According to the same sources, what is needed now is a pragmatic approach that does not open the door to internal confrontation, nor to the Israeli logic of continued daily strikes aimed at eliminating Hezbollah.

The solution, they said, lies not in escalation but in realism — one that preserves the state and its institutions and prevents the military and security agencies from slipping into paralysis or fragmentation.