A woman holds a banner reading “Where is the ceasefire for which you sat with the Israelis" while residents, mukhtars, and inhabitants of the devastated southern Lebanese border villages protest against the destruction of their villages and being prevented from returning by order of the Israeli army, at Martyrs’ Square in central Beirut. AFP
Aoun’s office said in a statement that the president “reiterated his view that the timing is not appropriate now for a meeting” with Netanyahu.
The statement quoted Aoun as saying: “We must first reach a security agreement and stop the Israeli attacks on us before we raise the issue of a meeting between us.”
Last month in Washington, Israeli and Lebanese representatives held two rounds of direct talks -- their first such encounters in decades -- following the March 2 war launched by Israel.
After the first talks, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon that began on April 17, followed by a three-week extension after the second round.
The two countries are preparing for direct negotiations, with a third round of “preparatory talks” expected “in the coming days,” according to Aoun’s office.
At the second meeting later in April, Trump said he expected Aoun and Netanyahu to meet jointly with him at the White House “over the next couple of weeks”.
Last week, the US embassy in Beirut urged such a meeting, saying “Lebanon stands at a crossroads. Its people have a historic opportunity to reclaim their country and shape their future,” adding that “the time for hesitation is over”.
The planned negotiations have caused a rift in Lebanon, with Hezbollah rejecting direct negotiations with Tel Aviv as well as Beirut’s previous commitment to disarm it.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem earlier Monday criticised direct talks, saying they put Lebanon “under tutelage”, and instead called for diplomacy that leads to an end to the war.
“Direct negotiations are a gratuitous concession, without results,” Qassem said.
In his statement, President Aoun argued, “there is no turning back from the path of negotiations, because we have no other option”, according to the statement from his office, reiterating that the process sought to achieve an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
However, Israel has continued its ground invasion of the south, carrying out frequent air strikes and forced displacement, while maintaining a military occupation by imposing a so-called "Yellow Line" several kilometres inside Lebanese territory, preventing civilians from returning to their homes.
On Monday, Hezbollah said its forces clashed with Israeli soldiers near the Israeli border, where the Israeli army is still occupying Lebanese lands and demolishing entire towns, despite the ceasefire.
Hezbollah said in a statement that after Israeli troops attempted to press their invasion near the town of Deir Seryan and its resistance fighters "opened fire on the enemy force and engaged in heavy clashes with them".
The Israeli occupation army said two of its soldiers were "moderately injured" in a "close-quarters encounter" with Hezbollah fighters.
Furthermore, Israel has repeatedly targeted journalists, health workers, UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL), civilians and Lebanese Army soldiers. UN reports document deadly strikes on first responders and rescue teams, including the Lebanese Red Cross, who have faced military obstruction and live fire while attempting to reach victims.
These attacks on protected personnel and civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and houses of worship, have been described by Lebanese officials, UN authorities, and human rights organizations as violations of international humanitarian law and have been frequently denounced as war crimes.
Israel’s latest escalation, which has killed at least 2,679 people in Lebanon and displaced over 1.2 million, broke out after Hezbollah retaliated against 15 months of consistent Israeli violations and persistent attacks that had effectively collapsed the November 2024 ceasefire that should have ended Israel’s previous war on Lebanon.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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