Lebanon’s president declined to speak with Netanyahu, insisted ceasefire precede negotiations
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke on the phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday. Photograph: (AFP)
Officials in Lebanon told Israel and the US that they would not seek further negotiations until a ceasefire is reached between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel and Lebanon held their first direct discussions in more than four decades in Washington, DC.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun refused to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after US President Donald Trump said the two leaders were set to hold historic talks. The Lebanese President spoke on the phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday and informed him of his decision of not speaking with Netanyahu.
In his phone call with Rubio, Aoun expressed his appreciation for Washington’s efforts for a ceasefire in his country.
Later, US President Donald Trump held separate calls with Aoun and Netanyahu, after which he announced the 10-day ceasefire.
With the Israeli military continuing its campaign in Lebanon against Hezbollah, Aoun had insisted that a ceasefire precede any negotiations with Israel.
“The ceasefire requested by Lebanon with Israel is the natural starting point for direct negotiations between the two countries,” Aoun said in a statement released Thursday.
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Officials in Lebanon also told Israel and the US that they would not seek further negotiations until a ceasefire is reached between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israeli officials said earlier on Thursday that Netanyahu and Aoun were scheduled to talk after Israel and Lebanon held their first direct discussions in more than four decades in Washington, DC.
Israel said it was not yet seeking to end its war with the Iran-backed group.
Trump earlier wrote on Truth Social that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon were planning to speak later in the day.
“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice! President DJT.”
Israel, facing ongoing Hezbollah attacks, said it will continue fighting the Iran-backed group until it is defanged and residents of northern Israel can live in peace.
“We are conducting negotiations with Lebanon,” Netanyahu said in a statement earlier on Thursday. “In the negotiations with Lebanon, there are two central goals: first, the disarming of Hezbollah, and second, a sustainable peace. Peace through strength.”
The calls between Rubio and Aoun, and Trump and Aoun took place two days after a meeting took place between Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh, at the State Department in Washington for laying the groundwork for direct negotiations, the first direct talks between the two sides in decades.
