Lebanon's President Declares Country's Desire to Avoid War with Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday assured a delegation from the United Nations Security Council that Lebanon seeks to avoid war with Israel, following the first civilian-level talks between the two countries in decades.

Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem, whose organization has resisted disarmament, expressed support for Lebanons diplomatic approach but criticised the participation of civilian representatives in the discussions as a misstep.

During his meeting with UN ambassadors, Aoun stated that the Lebanese people do not want another war and emphasized that the people have suffered enough and there will be no turning back, according to an official statement from the presidency.

The president called for international support for the Lebanese armys ongoing efforts to disarm non-state armed groups. The army is aiming to complete the first phase of its government-approved plan by years end. The Lebanese army will fulfill its full role, and the global community must assist and support it, Aoun said, underlining that this process is irreversible, even if it takes time, because the Lebanese are exhausted by armed conflict.

Despite a ceasefire agreement in November 2024 intended to end over a year of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has continued airstrikes in Lebanon and maintains troops in five strategic southern areas.

Civilian Talks and Diplomatic Efforts

On Wednesday, civilian representatives from Lebanon and Israel participated in meetings to monitor the ceasefire, a move Aoun described as crucial to preventing renewed conflict. Hezbollahs Qassem stated that the group supports using diplomacy to implement the ceasefire but condemned the civilian involvement. This measure is an additional misstep following the armys disarmament mandate for Hezbollah, he said, urging a reconsideration of the decision, while noting it would not alter Israels actions or occupation.

Aoun emphasized the importance of pressuring Israel to fully implement the ceasefire and withdraw, expressing hope that the UN delegation would contribute to these efforts. He noted that the success of negotiations will depend largely on Israels stance.

The committee with civilian representatives will reconvene on December 19 to continue talks.

UN Delegation and Regional Developments

The UN delegation visited Damascus on Thursday before meeting Lebanese officials. It is scheduled to inspect southern Lebanon with US envoy Morgan Ortagus. Following these meetings, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, stressed that negotiating under fire is unacceptable, calling for Israel to comply with UN Resolution 1701 and halt violations to ensure stability in the south.

On Thursday, Israel conducted strikes on four southern towns, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. UN peacekeepers described these strikes as clear violations of Resolution 1701. They also reported an incident near Bint Jbeil where six men on three mopeds fired at their vehicles, though no injuries occurred.

While Hezbollah continues to refuse disarmament, the group has not directly responded to the latest Israeli attacks but has promised retaliation for the recent killing of its military chief in a Beirut suburb strike.

Author: Connor Blake