Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said today that his country and Israel should negotiate to resolve remaining problems between them, as the war has not led to positive results.
"Lebanon has negotiated with Israel in the past with the mediation of the United States (US) and the United Nations (UN). What prevents the same from happening again in order to find solutions to unresolved issues, especially since the war did not lead to results," Aoun said, adding that those talks led to an agreement between the two countries on the maritime border in 2022.
Aoun said that there is an atmosphere of agreement and compromise in the Middle East.
"The conditions are moving towards negotiations to achieve peace and stability. That is why we say that through dialogue and negotiations we can reach a solution. We cannot be off the current path in the region," Aoun said.
The day after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Lebanon's Hezbollah began attacks on Israeli military positions along the border, calling them a "reserve front" for Gaza. Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in Lebanon, and many of its political and military commanders were killed.
Since the beginning of the ceasefire in Gaza, brokered by the US and the involvement of President Donald Trump, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes on Lebanon, killing many civilians.
During his visit to Jerusalem today, Trump praised the Lebanese president, adding that the US is helping Aoun "permanently disarm" Hezbollah.
"He is doing very well. Hezbollah's dagger, long pointed at Israel's throat, has been completely shattered," Trump said.
The Lebanese government in August decided to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, but officials later said resources were too limited to meet the deadline. The current goal is to completely clear the part of the Lebanese-Israeli border south of the Litani River by the end of November, before moving on to further phases.
Hezbollah has refused disarmament talks as long as Israel occupies several hills along the border and carries out daily attacks.
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