Joseph Aoun

Direct vs. Indirect Negotiations: Lebanon’s Diplomatic Playbook Reexamined

In the wake of the Gaza ceasefire brokered on October 13 by Donald Trump, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun issued a statement that raised more than a few eyebrows, and possibilities. “The Lebanese state has already negotiated with Israel under American and UN mediation, resulting in the maritime border agreement… So why not adopt the same ...

Americans Call for Direct Talks Between Lebanon and Israel

Israel does not seek to negotiate with Lebanon solely over Hezbollah’s disarmament; its broader goal is a peace and normalization agreement between the two countries. At present, Israel shows little interest in Lebanese proposals, much like during the maritime border talks, where shuttle diplomacy by Amos Hochstein between Beirut and Tel Aviv ...

Canonization of Ignatius Maloyan at the Vatican in the Presence of President Aoun

President Joseph Aoun and First Lady Naamat Aoun attended the solemn Mass during which Blessed Bishop Ignatius Maloyan, of the Armenian Catholic Church, was proclaimed a saint on the altars of the Catholic Church. The ceremony, celebrated on Sunday morning in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, was presided over by Pope Leo XIV in the ...

Ignatius Maloyan, Martyr of the Armenian Genocide, to Be Canonized This Sunday in Rome

Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan, a prominent figure of faith and martyrdom during the Armenian Genocide, will be canonized this Sunday at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Pope Leo XIV. The ceremony will be attended by official delegations from Lebanon, including President Joseph Aoun and Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, alongside representatives from ...

Aoun Urges Truth and Transparency as Members of National Commission for Missing Persons Take Oath

On Wednesday, members of the National Commission for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons were sworn in before the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, who reaffirmed that “the right to know the truth is a sacred right for every family.” The president also called on all parties to cooperate and “break the wall of silence” ...

Macron Praises Lebanon’s Efforts to Consolidate State Authority

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday hailed what he described as Lebanon’s “courageous decisions” aimed at ensuring that arms remain solely in the hands of legitimate state forces. In a letter to his Lebanese counterpart, President Joseph Aoun, Macron reaffirmed his commitment to convening two international conferences in support of ...

Joseph Aoun: Dialogue with Israel Is Possible

President Joseph Aoun delivered two sentences that may well mark a turning point for Lebanon. First, he stated that “our country cannot remain on the sidelines of efforts undertaken to resolve the crises unfolding in the region.” Then he added that “a dialogue with Israel is possible.” These two brief remarks echoed those of Donald Trump ...

Lebanon on the Sidelines: Restoring State Authority Is Critical

Events are unfolding across the region, while Lebanon remains on the sidelines, lacking a meaningful political presence in the reshaped Middle East. Lebanese officials have been following, via the media, US President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel, the developments in Gaza, his Knesset address and the Sharm al-Sheikh summit. Official sources ...

Beirut and Damascus Reopen Diplomatic Channels as al-Shaibani Visits Lebanon

Minister of Foreign Affairs Youssef Raggi described the visit of his Syrian counterpart, Assaad al-Shaibani, to Beirut as the beginning of “a new chapter” in relations between Lebanon and Syria. Al-Shaibani arrived in the Lebanese capital on Friday morning at the head of a high-level delegation for a one-day official visit, signaling ...

In the Face of State Sabotage, Firmness Is the Only Imperative

It relentlessly edges toward the peak of destructive behavior, pushing ever closer to its darkest extremes. Hezbollah’s leadership—loyal to directives from its Iranian patron—offers daily, tangible proof of the malicious strategy it pursues without any regard for law or principle in Lebanon: a strategy aimed at dismantling the state and ...

New UAE Ambassador Arrives in Beirut

The United Arab Emirates ambassador, Salem Fahd al-Kaabi, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday evening. He was greeted upon arrival by Consul Rodrigue Khoury, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His presence in Beirut marks the restoration of relations between Lebanon and the UAE, announced by Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan ...