Aoun: Negotiations Moving Forward, Israel Must Withdraw
President Joseph Aoun affirmed that “the negotiations are progressing and, in all cases, remain preferable to the devastating consequences of war for us. The scale of Israeli attacks on our country has been limited since the signing of the framework agreement, which has had a positive impact on the return of Lebanese citizens to spend the summer in their homeland.”
During his meeting with a delegation from the Maronite Foundation, led by Ms. Rose Choueiri, President Aoun noted that “there is no disagreement among the Lebanese regarding the objectives: Israeli withdrawal, the return of hostages, and the reconstruction of what has been destroyed. Ultimately, we will not allow Israel to remain on even a single inch of our land, nor will we allow a single one of its soldiers to remain on our soil.”
He said, “We always hear slogans claiming that what is taken by force can only be regained by force, but the realities on the ground have proven this claim false,” adding that “it is time for the people of the South to find peace and settle on their land, rather than have wars continue to be waged in their name for non-Lebanese objectives.”
He concluded by affirming that his goal “today is to rebuild the state at any cost, despite the opposition of those seeking to destroy the foundations of the state and prevent its reconstruction.”
