Published On 22/11/2025
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Last update: 00:15 (Mecca time)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced on Friday that Lebanon is ready to negotiate with Israel under joint UN, American or international sponsorship to stop cross-border attacks once and for all.
Aoun said – in a television speech on the occasion of Independence Day – The initiative includes the brotherly and friendly countries undertaking to set clear dates for an international mechanism to support the Lebanese army and reconstruction, in order to reach the ultimate goal of confining weapons to the state.
He reiterated the readiness of the Lebanese army to take over the occupied points on Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.
“We confirm the army’s readiness to take over the occupied points in the south.” The Lebanese President: We are ready to negotiate, under UN, American or joint international sponsorship, any agreement to permanently stop the attacks.#urgent pic.twitter.com/wMJEAfE12t
– Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) November 21, 2025
The Lebanese President said that circumstances have changed, and that Lebanon is tired of the state of no state.
Earlier Friday, Aoun said when he visited the army headquarters in Tyre, in the south of the country, accompanied by Army Commander Rudolf Heikal, that his country’s army presents martyrs, not caring about the campaigns of defamation, suspicion, and incitement against it.
He stressed that the army that protects the Lebanese is steadfast in its positions and commitment to defending national dignity, sovereignty and independence.
For his part, the Lebanese Army Commander said that the army is fully aware of the exceptional circumstances surrounding the implementation of the deployment plan, which is proceeding according to its specified program.
Heikal added that the army has made tremendous efforts since the cessation of hostilities agreement to strengthen its deployment in the south of the Litani, extend state authority over its lands, and adhere to Resolution 1701.
Despite the agreement that entered into force on November 27, 2024, Israel still occupies points inside Lebanese territory and launches widespread attacks on Lebanon.
Israel claims that the Lebanese government is not doing enough to fulfill its part of the agreement, focusing on the demand to disarm Hezbollah.
Rejecting dictates
For its part, Lebanese Hezbollah said that the elements of Lebanon’s power must be adhered to in order to drop all projects being hatched against it and the region.
The party added – in a statement on the occasion of Independence Day – that Lebanon’s independence is based on rejecting and confronting any external project, and protecting sovereignty from influences that do not serve Lebanon’s interests.
He added that this anniversary comes “while Lebanon is still vulnerable to the Israeli aggression and the American blockade that target its land, its people, and its wealth.”
The party called for making all possible efforts to oblige Israel to implement the ceasefire agreement, implement Resolution 1701, and push the guarantor countries to pressure it to stop its attacks.
Last August, the Lebanese government adopted an American paper to establish a ceasefire, including a timetable for disarming Hezbollah and deploying the army in the south of the country, but the party rejected these moves and warned that they might ignite a civil war.