Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said that his country will continue direct negotiations with Israel despite pressure to withdraw from it, considering this path to be aimed at achieving what serves Lebanon's interests.
Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from the Culture and Freedom Foundation, headed by former Minister Ibrahim Najjar, in Beirut, according to a statement from the Lebanese Presidency on Thursday.
Aoun said: "Despite the pressure to withdraw from the negotiations, Lebanon will continue on this path until it reaches a conclusion that serves our nation's interests."
Regarding the Palestinian cause, Aoun stressed that "we support it, but not at the expense of Lebanon, which has paid a heavy price for this cause."
Aoun demanded an end to Israeli hostilities based on the following points: "Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, a cessation of attacks, the deployment of the (Lebanese) army, and the return of the displaced and prisoners."
He added: "After that, we will think about peace, but we cannot pursue it if these issues are not resolved first, and we have informed US President Donald Trump of this position.
"The decision to proceed with negotiations was made with conviction and in Lebanon's best interest," he said.
He indicated that Lebanon enjoys Arab, European, and American support, considering that negotiations are not easy, but they are "the only available option in the face of the Israeli machinery of destruction, aggression, and killing."
Israeli attacks continue
Under US auspices, Lebanon and Israel have held several rounds of negotiations in Washington, and a new round is scheduled to take place during the week beginning June 22.
Despite the ongoing negotiations and the fragile ceasefire agreement that began on April 17, Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023-2024 war. During the current offensive, its forces have penetrated more than 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory.
The US, Lebanon, and Israel announced last week a declaration of intent following four rounds of talks in Washington, outlining a complete ceasefire by Hezbollah and the withdrawal of its members from areas south of the Litani River.
However, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejected the outcome of the talks, saying they were unacceptable to broad segments of the Lebanese population.
Since March 2, Israel has been carrying out an offensive on Lebanon that killed nearly 3,700 people and injured over 11,400 others as of Tuesday, according to official Lebanese figures.
The Israeli attacks came despite a ceasefire that began on April 17.
