Lebanon’s president has called for direct negotiations with Israel as part of a proposal aimed at ending the latest escalation along the countries’ border, while also delivering rare public criticism of Hezbollah for drawing Lebanon into a wider regional conflict.
Joseph Aoun, Lebanon president, said his government was prepared to open talks with Israel under international sponsorship once a ceasefire is secured. The proposal, outlined during a virtual meeting with senior European Union officials on Monday, is part of what he described as a plan to achieve lasting security and stability along Lebanon’s southern border.
Read also: Israel strikes Lebanon as regional conflict spreads across Middle East
According to the BBC, Aoun’s plan rests on four main steps. These include a complete truce between Israel and Hezbollah, the disarmament of the Iran backed militia, and increased international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces so they can reassert control over areas where tensions remain high.
The proposal would also see Lebanon and Israel begin direct negotiations under international supervision to implement the wider security arrangement.
A spokesperson for the Lebanese president said Beirut is open to talks but cannot negotiate while Israeli military operations continue.
The conflict has already taken a heavy toll on Lebanon. Aoun told European officials that more than 700,000 people have been displaced in recent days, including around 200,000 children. Hundreds have been killed in Israeli air strikes over the past nine days, according to figures cited by the United Nations.
Read also: WORLD IN BRIEF: UK PM apologises, Lebanon accuses Israel, Ghana-Zambia visa deal and other stories
“Some of them are on the roads. They have no shelter and not even the most basic necessities of life,” Aoun said.
In unusually blunt remarks, the Lebanese president also criticised Hezbollah, describing it as an armed faction that had ignored the interests of the Lebanese state and the safety of its citizens. He accused the group of dragging the country into a conflict that threatens to deepen instability.
His comments followed a declaration by the Lebanese government last week that Hezbollah’s military operations are illegal. However, Beirut currently lacks the military capacity to disarm the powerful group on its own.
Israel has shown little indication that it is ready to enter negotiations. The Israeli government has not officially responded to Aoun’s proposal.
Read also: Champion Breweries exits NGX watchlist after meeting free-float rule
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel prime minister, recently addressed the Lebanese government directly on social media, saying it bears responsibility for enforcing the ceasefire agreement and disarming Hezbollah.
Joshua Zarka, Israel ambassador to France, said on Tuesday that he was not aware of any decision to begin negotiations to end the war.
“At this stage, I’m not aware of any decision to enter negotiations to end this war,” he said. “What would end it is the disarmament of Hezbollah and that is a choice for the Lebanese government.”
Read also:
A ceasefire brokered in November 2024 by the United States and France had been intended to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. But the agreement has struggled to hold, with Israel continuing near daily strikes in Lebanon, saying Hezbollah is attempting to rearm and rebuild its positions.
The situation worsened after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into northern Israel shortly after the start of joint United States and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The group said the strikes were retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei, Iran supreme leader, and ongoing Israeli military operations.
Aoun, however, described Hezbollah’s move as a deliberate action that exposed Lebanon to another devastating round of conflict with Israel.
