Since his election as President of the Republic, Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun has emerged as one of the most prominent figures attempting to restore the image of the Lebanese state and its prestige both domestically and internationally. The man who led the military establishment through its most difficult times brought with him to Baabda Palace qualities of decisiveness, discipline, and pragmatism, placing Lebanon's interests above any regional considerations or narrow sectarian calculations.
Let Sheikh Naim tell me what he wants? Let him go and fight, and we have seen the results.
Throughout his career, Joseph Aoun was distinguished by his decisiveness and his ability to balance steadfastness and composure. He was not an advocate of pointless escalation, but at the same time, he never yielded to pressure. He acquired these qualities from his long military experience, during which he faced complex security and political challenges and managed to maintain the cohesion of the military institution during the most severe economic and political crises that Lebanon has ever experienced.
exclusive weapon
In addressing the issue of Hezbollah's weapons, President Joseph Aoun chose a path of dialogue and national responsibility. For 13 months, he engaged in direct and indirect discussions with the party, attempting to reach an understanding on the state's monopoly on the use of force and to prevent Lebanon from sliding into further conflicts, which the Lebanese people cannot endure, following the Gaza war. He proceeded from a firm conviction that the state alone should hold the power to decide on matters of war and peace, and that the Lebanese people have already paid a heavy price for regional conflicts that do not serve their national interests.
President Aoun did not adopt a language of provocation or internal confrontation, but rather relied on calm and rational dialogue, realizing that addressing the issue of weapons requires wisdom and patience, but on the other hand he believes that building a strong state cannot be completed with a military decision outside its legitimate institutions.
There is no serious ceasefire, and Israel and Iran are using the Lebanese arena for their own interests.
After leading the direct negotiations, Joseph Aoun succeeded in presenting the image of a statesman who seeks to protect Lebanon, not to drag it into reckless adventures, striving to restore Lebanon to its natural position and establish balanced relations with Arab countries and the international community as an independent and sovereign state, not as an open arena for settling regional scores.
No contact with Hezbollah
There is currently no direct communication between President Aoun and Hezbollah, and communication is taking place through some channels. According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, the President is following the positions of the Secretary-General of the Party, Sheikh Naim Qassem, who describes the negotiations as “absurd and shameful.” However, according to his visitors, he adds, “Let Sheikh Naim tell me what he wants? Does he want to fight? Let him go and fight, and we have seen the results.”
There are still no suitable conditions for an Israeli withdrawal parallel to the withdrawal of Hezbollah elements from south of the Litani River.
President Aoun expressed surprise at reports of contacts between US President Donald Trump and Hezbollah, with visitors quoting him as saying, "President Trump did not contact Hezbollah; rather, he contacted our ambassador in Washington, unless they consider Ambassador Nada Mouawad to represent Hezbollah!" He dismissed the criticism directed at the Lebanese ambassador, noting that "she and Ambassador Simon Karam did tremendous work, halting negotiations, which necessitated the intervention of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio."
According to the president’s visitors, “there is no serious ceasefire, nor are there suitable conditions yet for an Israeli withdrawal parallel to the withdrawal of Hezbollah elements from south of the Litani River,” but he is counting on the experimental areas and his proposal to start implementing them from the eastern and western Zawtar, Yahmar and Qalaat al-Shaqif through the entry of the Lebanese army into these areas.
The equation of the suburbs versus the northern settlements still exists, and the facts have proven that both Israel and Iran use the Lebanese arena for their own interests.
“President Trump did not contact Hezbollah, but rather contacted our ambassador in Washington, unless they consider Ambassador Nada Mouawad to represent Hezbollah!”
On the domestic front, a clear harmony is observed between the President of theRepublic and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Aoun mocks the analyses that attempt to create a rift between the first and third presidencies, asking, “Where are the attempts to marginalize the Prime Minister? Let them say where and how? These are merely attempts to respond to the harmony existing between the Palace and the Grand Serail, similar to attempts to create a rift between the President of the Republic and both Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and former MP Walid Jumblatt.”
The relationship with Berri
Visitors to Baabda Palace, as reported by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, note that the relationship with Speaker Nabih Berri is based on mutual respect. President Aoun, in an interview with CNN, praised the Speaker as a statesman who has spent 40 years working to rebuild southern Lebanon. The infrequent visits to the palace are attributed to the current circumstances, but communication remains ongoing, with the most recent meeting taking place after the announcement of the agreement in Washington. President Aoun is keen to deny any interference in the legislative branch's prerogatives regarding the discussion of the general amnesty law, especially since it was the MPs themselves who requested an urgent meeting on Sunday.
The army chief is subject to political authority, and the analyses regarding his visit to Islamabad are unfounded.
As for Hezbollah, the relationship is severed, and there is no truth to what is being promoted about an agreement that was made with President Aoun before his election. This is false promotion, and a witness from his own people testified to this, namely MP Ihab Hamadeh, who said, “We participated in voting in his favor to avoid chaos, as the path was prepared in advance and resulted in President Aoun coming to power through us and our own people.”
Army commander
Finally, visitors to Baabda Palace leave with the impression that the analyses surrounding Army Commander General Rudolph Heikal's visit to Islamabad are unfounded. The Army Commander is subject to political authority, and the Israeli army's targeting of a military vehicle is not seen as an Israeli message. General Heikal's visit had been planned for some time; even President Aoun, when he was Army Commander, received an invitation to visit Pakistan but was unable to accept it to avoid creating a leadership vacuum in the army at the time.
