Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared on Thursday that Beirut remains fully committed to direct diplomatic discussions with Israel, shaking off intense domestic and regional pushback to exit the talks because he believes the process is vital to securing his country's core national concerns.
The head of state detailed his stance during a meeting at the presidential mansion in Beirut with a visiting group from the Culture and Freedom Foundation.
"Despite the pressure to withdraw from the negotiations, Lebanon will continue on this path until it reaches a conclusion that serves our nation's interests," said Aoun, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
Addressing Lebanon's relationship to regional geopolitics, Aoun noted that while Beirut remains sympathetic to Palestinian aspirations, it must place its own stability first.
"We support it, but not at the expense of Lebanon, which has paid a heavy price for this cause," he clarified.
The President outlined a specific framework of core requirements necessary to halt the current cycle of cross-border violence.
"Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, a cessation of attacks, the deployment of the (Lebanese) army, and the return of the displaced and prisoners."
He specified that broader regional stabilization would have to wait until these essential parameters are satisfied.
"After that, we will think about peace, but we cannot pursue it if these issues are not resolved first, and we have informed US President Donald Trump of this position. The decision to proceed with negotiations was made with conviction and in Lebanon's best interest," he said.
Aoun observed that while navigating the ongoing US-mediated dialogue presents immense challenges, it serves as the state's sole viable leverage to protect its population. He asserted that Beirut holds vital backing from Western, European, and Arab allies, describing the diplomacy as “the only available option in the face of the Israeli machinery of destruction, aggression, and killing."
The comments follow a trilateral summit convened by the United States in Washington last week, which resulted in a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
A joint statement issued by the three countries last Wednesday stated that the accord dictates that the implementation of the truce is directly "contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector".
The summit marked the fourth round of US-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel.
After the initial April 23 meeting between the sides, which was attended by the Israeli and Lebanese Ambassadors to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, President Donald Trump expressed hope that peace between Israel and Lebanon would be possible this year.
Trump also said he hopes to host a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Aoun in Washington within a few weeks.
However, Aoun has made clear that a high-level summit with Netanyahu is currently out of the question, stressing that the cessation of hostilities must be the primary focus before any direct political engagement can be considered.
Aoun also recently stressed that Israel’s complete military withdrawal from southern Lebanon is a “non-negotiable" prerequisite for an agreement.