Regarding the issue of negotiations with Israel, President Aoun stressed that in politics: "There are three tools for action: diplomacy, economics, and war. When war does not lead us to any result, what do we do? The end of every war in various countries of the world was negotiation, and negotiation is not with a friend or ally, but with an enemy."
He stressed that "the language of negotiation is more important than the language of war, which we have seen what it has done to us, as well as the diplomatic language that we all adopt, from President Nabih Berri to President Nawaf Salam."
The President reiterated that "the situation is good, and the visit that Pope Leo will make to Lebanon, and the international conferences there, are nothing but proof of health, prosperity and stability."
Regarding the challenges in the region, Aoun said, "We have begun addressing the issue of relations with Syria, and things are becoming clearer, and serious intentions are present and mutual. Joint committees will soon be formed to resolve the issue of border demarcation."
He stressed that "Lebanon has many opportunities that we must take advantage of, and things are not difficult, the responsibility is shared, and we can reach the goal easily and quickly by getting out of the sectarian and religious alleys that are destroying the country."
In recent weeks, Israel has escalated its attacks on Lebanon, including assassinations of individuals it claims are from Hezbollah, and launching fire belts in areas east and south of the country.
On Thursday, Aoun, for the first time, issued orders to the army to confront any Israeli military incursion into the liberated Lebanese territories in the south of the country.
In the middle of last month, Aoun stressed that "negotiations are necessary" with Israel to resolve the "outstanding" problems between the two sides, coinciding with the start of the implementation of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war on Gaza.
US envoy Thomas Barak is leading indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. He has visited the Arab country several times, during which he presented an initiative to the Beirut government on June 19, stipulating that all weapons should be under the supervision of the Lebanese state only as a primary objective.
Beirut and Tel Aviv are officially at war and therefore do not negotiate directly, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Lebanese government in a speech before the United Nations General Assembly last September to begin direct negotiations.
In October 2023, Israel launched an aggression against Lebanon, which in September 2024 turned into a full-scale war, during which more than 4,000 people were killed and about 17,000 others were injured.
Despite reaching a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel in November 2024, Tel Aviv has violated it more than 4,500 times, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
In defiance of the agreement, Israel occupies five Lebanese hills, which it seized in the last war, in addition to other areas it has occupied for decades.
