Beirut: Lebanon remains firm in its position of not pursuing normal relations with Israel, according to President Joseph Aoun, who on Friday reiterated that the country’s current priority is to achieve a “state of no war” with its southern neighbour. His remarks come as the Trump administration works to expand the Abraham Accords, which saw Israel sign historic agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020.
In a related development, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said during a May visit to France that Syria is engaged in indirect talks with Israel aimed at preventing border tensions from escalating. Dialogue around peace has gained momentum following the ouster of President Bashar Assad in December.
In a statement released by his office, Aoun clarified that in future, only the Lebanese state would hold weapons, and decisions concerning war would rest solely with the Lebanese government.
His comments appeared to reference Hezbollah, the armed group that engaged in a 14-month war with Israel. During the conflict, Hezbollah suffered major setbacks, including the loss of several top political and military leaders.
Though Hezbollah has declared an end to its armed activities along the Israel-Lebanon border, it has refused to disarm elsewhere in the country until Israel withdraws from five strategic border positions and halts its frequent airstrikes inside Lebanese territory.
Earlier this week, US envoy Tom Barrack met with Lebanese officials in Beirut and expressed satisfaction with the government’s response to a proposal calling for Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Hezbollah’s arsenal has remained one of the most contentious issues since Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000. The group has fought two major conflicts with Israel—one in 2006 and another that erupted the day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, which ignited the war in Gaza.
The latest Hezbollah-Israel war ended in November through a US-brokered ceasefire. The conflict caused over 4,000 deaths in Lebanon and an estimated $11 billion in damage. In Israel, 127 people, including 80 soldiers, were killed.
“Peace is the state of no war, and this is what is important for us in Lebanon at the present time,” Aoun was quoted as saying to visitors. He added that “the matter of normalisation (with Israel) is not included in Lebanon's current foreign policy.” Lebanon and Israel have technically been at war since 1948.
(inputs from PTI)