Lebanon’s Aoun calls for negotiations with Israel

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said on 13th October that his country and Israel should enter negotiations to resolve long-standing disputes, arguing that prolonged conflict “did not lead to any positive results.”

His comments came days after U.S. President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, ending more than two years of war that began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and left 251 taken hostages reported by The New Arab on 14th October.

A day after the conflict began, Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli military posts along the border, describing the move as a “backup front” for Gaza. The clashes soon expanded into full-scale fighting that lasted over a year, claiming the lives of several Hezbollah commanders and leaving widespread destruction in southern Lebanon.

Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November, Israel has continued carrying out airstrikes across Lebanon, many of which have resulted in civilian casualties. As reported by Maghrebi.org, tensions between the two nations have persisted despite diplomatic efforts from Washington and the United Nations.

“Lebanon negotiated in the past with Israel with mediation by the United States and the United Nations,” Aoun said, referring to the 2022 maritime border agreement. “What prevents repeating the same thing to find solutions to pending matters, especially that war did not lead to results?”

Aoun said the regional climate now favors diplomacy over violence. “Conditions are moving toward negotiations to achieve peace and stability,” he added. “Therefore, we say that through dialogue and negotiations, solutions can be reached.”

The president’s comments come as several regional leaders push for a broader Middle East peace framework. According to Maghrebi.org’s analysis, Washington’s renewed engagement under Trump has reshaped alliances and reopened old channels of communication between long-time adversaries.

Speaking in Jerusalem, Trump told Israeli lawmakers that Israel “had no more to achieve on the battlefield” and should now work toward peace with its neighbors, including Lebanon and Iran.

In August, the Lebanese government announced plans to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. However, officials have since admitted that limited resources make the timeline difficult to meet. The current strategy involves clearing the area south of the Litani River before progressing further north.

Hezbollah has rejected the plan, saying it will not disarm while Israel continues to occupy border territories and carry out strikes. As highlighted in Maghrebi.org’s regional report, the group views the move as an attempt to weaken Lebanon’s defensive capabilities.

Trump praised Aoun’s leadership during his speech in Jerusalem, stating that his administration was assisting Lebanon “to permanently disarm Hezbollah’s terror brigades.”

“The dagger of Hezbollah, long aimed at Israel’s throat, has been totally shattered,” Trump said.

The New Arab via AP News; Maghrebi.org