Lebanon president says country does not want war with Israel

AFP | Beirut

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun yesterday told a United Nations Security Council delegation his country does not want war with Israel, days after civilian representatives from both sides held their first talks in decades.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iranbacked militant group, Israel has kept up strikes on Lebanon and has also maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic.

During his meeting with UN Security Council ambassadors, Aoun said the Lebanese “do not want war again, the Lebanese people have suffered enough and there will be no going back”, according to a statement from the presidency.

Aoun called on the envoys to support the Lebanese army’s efforts to disarm non-government groups. The army expects to complete the first phase of its government-approved plan by the end of the year.

“The Lebanese army will play its full role... The international community must support and assist it.”

Aoun called there was “no going back” on the decision, “even if it requires some time, because the Lebanese are tired of military confrontations”. Following “a new round of negotiations”

that began on Wednesday, Aoun stressed “the need to pressure the Israeli side to implement the ceasefire and withdraw, and expressed his hope for pressure from the delegation”.