Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gave a speech to the nation on Friday, a day after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect.
In the speech, Aoun defended the direct talks held with Israel earlier this week, stressing that Lebanon is no longer an “arena" for anyone’s wars.
“We are confident that we will save Lebanon… we have reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon’s decision-making power for the first time in nearly half a century," Aoun said.
He stressed, “Today, we negotiate for ourselves… we are no longer a pawn in anyone’s game, nor an arena for anyone’s wars, and we never will be again".
“Now, we all stand before a new phase," Aoun continued. “It is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation."
The Lebanese President insisted that direct talks with Israel are “not a sign of weakness nor a concession."
He added that “negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation."
US President Donald Trump, whose administration brokered the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, said on Wednesday that Aoun and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would speak on Thursday.
While such a conversation did not ultimately occur, Trump held separate phone calls with the two leaders on Thursday before announcing the ceasefire.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)