Lebanese President Michel Aoun has assured a visiting United Nations Security Council delegation that his nation does not desire a military conflict with Israel. This statement followed rare civilian-level talks between the two countries, the first of their kind in decades.
President Aoun underscored the Lebanese public's exhaustion from past conflicts, stating the people "do not want war again." He called for international backing of the Lebanese army's strategy to disarm all non-state armed groups, a plan whose initial phase is slated for completion by the end of the year. "The Lebanese army will play its full role… the international community must support and assist it," Aoun affirmed, vowing there would be "no going back" on this commitment despite the process requiring time.
The diplomatic efforts occur against a backdrop of ongoing tension. Although a ceasefire halted over a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, Israel has continued aerial strikes on Lebanese territory and maintains a troop presence in several strategic areas of southern Lebanon.
In a recent development aimed at shoring up the truce, civilian representatives from both Lebanon and Israel joined a ceasefire monitoring committeea step President Aoun deemed crucial for preventing renewed war. However, Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, expressed reservations. While asserting his group's support for the state's diplomatic path, he criticized the inclusion of civilians in the discussions as a "misstep," arguing it would not change Israel's aggressive stance. Hezbollah, a dominant political and military force in Lebanon, has consistently refused to disarm.
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