Aoun: Negotiations Are the Path to Ending Hostilities and Securing Israeli Withdrawal
President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to negotiations aimed at ending hostilities with Israel, securing an Israeli withdrawal and allowing displaced residents to return to their homes, stressing that continued warfare would not achieve Lebanon’s objectives.
Speaking during a meeting at Baabda Palace with a delegation from the Mont La Salle Alumni Association, headed by Georges Khoury, Aoun said the decision to pursue negotiations was intended to spare Lebanon further destruction.
“The agreement we reached is not ideal, but it has limited the expansion of Israeli attacks,” Aoun said, acknowledging that Israeli strikes in South Lebanon were continuing.
He reiterated that Lebanon’s ultimate goals were to end the state of hostilities with Israel, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, obtain the release of prisoners and launch reconstruction efforts.
Aoun said the negotiations had yielded results and drawn greater US attention to Lebanon, while acknowledging that significant challenges remained.
He stressed that progress would take time, adding that his constitutional responsibilities required him to make difficult decisions despite political opposition.
On security, Aoun distinguished between the ongoing hostilities in South Lebanon and the broader domestic security situation, describing Lebanon as a relatively safe destination that continued to attract Arab and international visitors.
Turning to the economy, Aoun said Lebanon had recorded growth of around 4% last year, alongside an increase in Banque du Liban’s assets and a balance-of-payments surplus. Economic growth had been projected to reach 6% this year, he added, before the war disrupted the recovery.
He attributed mounting economic pressures partly to regional conflicts, disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, rising oil prices and profiteering.
Aoun also reaffirmed his commitment to institutional reform, acknowledging that decades of corruption and administrative mismanagement could not be reversed overnight.
He highlighted Lebanon’s participation in the IMEC Ports Club through the ports of Beirut and Tripoli, the recent US decision to lift longstanding restrictions on American aviation links with Lebanon, and progress toward bringing René Mouawad Airport in Kleyate into operation.
On education and national development, Aoun stressed that Lebanon’s greatest asset was its people.
“Our principal strength lies in investing in human capital,” he said, arguing that natural resources were of limited value without qualified people to manage them.
He urged the alumni to preserve Lebanon’s diversity, safeguard national unity and remain confident in the country’s future.
During the meeting, Khoury reaffirmed the association’s support for Aoun and offered the expertise of its members to help advance national recovery efforts.
In separate meetings, Aoun discussed domestic and regional developments with former minister Nohad Machnouk.
He also received Jal el Dib-Bqennaya Mayor Georges Zard Abou Jaoudeh, who briefed him on preparations for a municipal digital transformation program being developed by the Abou Jaoudeh Foundation in coordination with ESA Business School.
