Lebanese president announces shift to negotiating permanent agreements after ceasefire phase

Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Lebanon has entered a new phase focused on negotiating permanent agreements to safeguard the rights of its people, the unity of its territory, and the sovereignty of the state.

In an address to the Lebanese, Aoun said the country is moving from ceasefire implementation efforts toward a broader stage aimed at securing long-term stability. He voiced confidence that, as in the previous phase, these efforts would help “save Lebanon.”

He attributed the ceasefire to collective efforts and sacrifices by the Lebanese people, including those who remain in frontline areas, as well as sustained diplomatic engagement with international and regional partners, Xinhua news agency reported.

Aoun said negotiations are not a sign of weakness or retreat, but rather a sovereign decision to protect Lebanon’s interests, prevent further loss of life, and end displacement.

Highlighting the conflict’s heavy toll, Aoun said thousands of Lebanese have been killed, pledging that no more lives should be lost for foreign interests or political calculations.

“I am ready to take full responsibility for these choices,” he said.

Aoun outlined the main objectives for the upcoming phase, including halting Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory, ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces, securing the return of prisoners, enabling the safe return of displaced citizens, and restoring the state’s full authority across all Lebanese territories.

He also called for national unity under a single state authority, constitution, and armed force, warning against internal divisions and external agendas.

Meanwhile, Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah’s political council, told BBC Arabic in Beirut that the group’s arsenal is non-negotiable at this stage.

“Hezbollah will never ever disarm. Before the halt of attacks, the withdrawal of Israel, the return of prisoners, the return of the displaced to their homelands, and reconstruction, we cannot talk about Hezbollah’s weapons,” Safa said, warning that Hezbollah will reject any ceasefire resembling the one that had been in place since November 2024.

The 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire was characterized by near-daily Israeli strikes in Lebanon. The fragile truce collapsed on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in support of Iran, triggering intensified Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), with an aim to end the deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which Lebanon’s Public Health Ministry said Friday has killed 2,294 in Lebanon, including 100 paramedics and healthcare workers.

Earlier on Friday, Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance bloc told Al Jadeed TV that it is committed to the new ceasefire with caution, stressing that its adherence is conditional on the truce covering all Lebanese territories.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that although Israel will provide an opportunity to advance an integrated diplomatic and military solution with the Lebanese government, Israel has not finished its job against Hezbollah.

Despite the new ceasefire, Lebanon’s Al-Manar TV reported that Israel launched a drone strike in southern Lebanon on Friday, killing one person.

IANS