Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday accused Hezbollah of “betrayal” and openly challenged the group’s decision to take Lebanon to war, asking whether it had secured national consensus before doing so.
“Did you have national consensus when you went to war?” Aoun questioned, in a direct message to Hezbollah, as tensions escalate over the state’s decision to enter negotiations with Israel.
He added: “What we are doing is not betrayal. Betrayal is committed by those who drag the country into war to serve foreign interests.”
Defense of negotiations with Israel
Responding to criticism of the government’s diplomatic track, Aoun defended the decision to engage in negotiations with Israel, dismissing accusations of surrender. “Some have rushed to accuse us of surrender before negotiations even start. Let the talks begin, and then judge the outcome,” he said.
He also reiterated that his objective is to end the state of war. “Our goal is to reach an end to the war with Israel, similar to the armistice agreement. Was that agreement an act of humiliation? I will not accept a humiliating deal.”
Furthermore, Aoun said southern Lebanon continues to bear the consequences of conflicts driven by external agendas, rejecting recent justifications for the war.
“How long will the people of the south continue to pay the price of others’ wars on our land, the war in support of Gaza and the war in support of Iran?” he said. “If the war were for Lebanon, we would have supported it. But when it serves the interests of others, I completely reject it.”
Ceasefire as a prerequisite
The Lebanese president stressed that a ceasefire remains the foundation for any negotiations, saying Lebanon had clearly communicated this position to Washington.
“We informed the American side from the first moment that a ceasefire is a necessary first step for any negotiations,” he said, referencing meetings held on April 14 and 23 in Washington under US sponsorship.
He pointed to the U.S. statement affirming that Israel would not conduct offensive military operations against Lebanon as a key framework. “This is the official position of the Lebanese state. Any other narrative does not concern us,” he added.
His remarks mark one of the clearest confrontations yet between the Lebanese presidency and Hezbollah, highlighting a growing internal divide as the country moves toward negotiations while the group maintains its independent military stance.
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