Lebanon is focused on Israel. While Hezbollah continues to refuse to disarm, the Lebanese leadership wants Israel to stop airstrikes in its country.
After a high-level visit by US officials, including Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism, this week, the Lebanese leadership is continuing to drag its feet on disarmament.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon is now waiting for “Israel’s response,” Beirut-based, pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al Akhbar reported.
“Lebanon is waiting for Israel’s response through the United States to the option of negotiating to liberate the land… The logic of force is no longer useful, and we must go to the power of logic,” he said.
What Aoun means by “liberate the land” appears to refer to Lebanon getting back a few areas that the IDF occupies along the border. It could also refer to Mount Dov, or Shaba Farms, in Lebanon.
“Hezbollah is not involved in the area south of the Litani River, and the Lebanese army is doing a tremendous job in the south and all other Lebanese regions,” Aoun told a delegation from the Editors Syndicate at Beirut’s Baabda Palace, Al Akhbar reported.
“The American president has his project in the region, which is based on stability and security,” he said. “We have our project, which is based on stopping the attacks, liberating the land, and recovering the prisoners, and we are doing what our country’s interest requires. There is a government that is solely responsible, and no one else.”
“Can the language of war lead us to a result?” Aoun asked. “Generally speaking, when war does not lead to any result, it ends with diplomacy, and we have previous experiences, such as the maritime border.”
Lebanon's relationship with Syria
This refers to an agreement with Israel regarding the maritime border line off the coast, which is supposed to enable both countries to exploit the seabed for drilling to find natural gas.
This agreement was rushed into in 2022 on the eve of elections in Israel. It was backed by the Biden administration and was sold at the time as facilitating peace.
However, it fueled Hezbollah’s ambitions instead. Now, with Hezbollah weakened, perhaps it could be a model.
Regarding the meeting that took place at the White House between the American and Syrian presidents, Aoun discussed Syria’s role in Lebanon. Syria occupied Lebanon from 1976-2005.
“The stability of Syria is necessary for the stability of Lebanon, because the two countries are linked in this regard… The meeting between the American and Syrian presidents is a positive thing, as lifting the American sanctions on Syria also benefits Lebanon,” he said.
Aoun dismissed rumors that Lebanon would be “rewarded” to Syria. It was not clear what he meant.