DUBAI: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday reiterated his position related to ongoing negotiations and efforts to end state hostility between Lebanon and Israel.
In a meeting with a delegation from the Culture and Freedom Foundation chaired by former justice minister Ibrahim Najjar, Aoun said any agreement to end the war must cover an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, a cessation of attacks, the deployment of the Lebanese army, the return of displaced and the prisoners.
Aoun also dispelled pressure to withdraw from the US-mediated negotiations: “We will not withdraw and we will continue until we reach a conclusion that benefits our nation.”
“The state remains our choice, as it protects us all, and we must be convinced that we are a sovereign state,” he said.
Aoun earlier made a rare direct appeal for the Israeli government to come to the negotiating table to end the war, warning that a military solution “will never provide you with security and safety.”
