Lebanese President Reports Progress in Negotiations with Israel Amid Reduced Attacks

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced significant progress in ongoing negotiations with Israel, emphasizing that dialogue is far preferable to the destructive consequences of war. He noted that since the signing of the framework agreement between the two countries, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have decreased, allowing Lebanese citizens to spend the summer in their homeland.

In a departure from traditional rhetoric, Aoun challenged the notion that land taken by force can only be returned by force, stating that facts on the ground have disproven this claim. He stressed the importance of allowing residents of southern Lebanon to live peacefully on their land rather than continuing to fight wars on their behalf for non-Lebanese objectives.

Despite the progress, Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's firm stance on key goals, including the full Israeli withdrawal, the return of Lebanese prisoners, and reconstruction of war damage. He declared that Lebanon will not permit Israel to remain even a centimeter on its territory, nor allow any Israeli soldiers to stay on Lebanese soil.