Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has made a rare direct appeal to Israel and its people to engage in negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. In an interview on CNN, Aoun warned that military solutions would never ensure security or safety.
Aoun stated he would not meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu until an agreement is reached to end hostilities. Any deal would be a non-aggression pact rather than a full peace treaty, aimed at ending the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel permanently.
The Lebanese government is currently in direct talks with Israel, mediated by Washington, despite opposition from armed group Hezbollah, which is fighting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. Aoun said Lebanon would align with the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, offering normalization with Israel across the Arab world in exchange for Palestinian statehood and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories.
However, Aoun emphasized that progress must be made through various steps before achieving full peace. The war erupted on March 2 when Hezbollah fired on Israel in support of its ally, Iran. Israel responded with an air campaign and ground operations, leading to more than 3,600 deaths in Lebanon and over one million displaced Lebanese.
The US declared a ceasefire on April 16, but fighting has continued, with Lebanon reporting nearly 3,500 strikes since the truce was announced. Aoun told CNN that Lebanon seeks a good relationship with Iran based on mutual respect and non-interference, while accusing Tehran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its talks with the United States.