Lebanese President: Ending Israeli Occupation Depends on Genuine Will

During a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Presidential Palace in Beirut, Aoun stated: “I affirmed that negotiation remains an option for reclaiming our occupied territories, retrieving our prisoners, and ensuring full withdrawal from the hills.”

According to Rokna, he added: “However, this option has been met by the other side with an escalation of attacks on Lebanon — in the south and the Beqaa — and with rising levels of tension.”

He called on the German Foreign Minister to pressure Israel to adhere to the ceasefire agreement announced in November 2024 and to allow the Lebanese army to expand its deployment to the southern international borders.

Aoun noted that the number of Lebanese army personnel stationed in the south will increase to 10,000 by the end of the year.

The president’s remarks about negotiations came after he, for the first time on Thursday, ordered the army to respond to any Israeli military aggression against the country’s south.

Hezbollah’s Position

Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, praised the president’s stance calling on the army to confront Israeli attacks.

In a video speech delivered at the opening of a market in Beirut’s southern suburb, Sheikh Naim Qassem said: “When President Aoun called for confrontation, an American official claimed that the army is assisting the resistance. Does confrontation and defense now constitute a crime?”

He stressed: “The government bears responsibility for expelling the enemy, safeguarding sovereignty, and halting aggressions — and the president’s stance in this regard is a responsible one.”

Field Situation

On Friday, Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory resumed. One person was martyred in a drone strike while riding a motorcycle in the southern city of Kounine, followed by a similar attack on a motorcycle in the city of Shoukeen.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who is wanted by the International Criminal Court — held security consultations on Lebanon’s situation on Thursday. Israeli media reported that the government is considering intensifying strikes on Lebanese soil.

A ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel has been in place since November 27, 2024, but the Israeli army continues to carry out almost daily attacks on Lebanon, engaging in demolition operations and explosions in the south.

Since October 2023, more than 4,000 people have been killed and around 17,000 others injured in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024.

The Lebanese government, along with a U.S. document, proposed a plan to consolidate the ceasefire, including a timeline for Hezbollah’s disarmament and the expansion of the Lebanese army’s control over the south. However, Hezbollah has rejected these efforts, warning that they could ignite a civil war.