Joseph Aoun

Aoun Sees Israel Talks as Path to Ending Lebanon’s Suffering

Moments before direct Israel-Lebanon talks began in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Tuesday he hoped negotiations would mark “the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese in general, and of the people of the south in particular,” following weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah. “Stability will not be ...

Israeli Ambassador to U.S.: Israel and Lebanon Moving Toward 'Complete Peace Treaty'

Lebanon and Israel engaged in the first round of United States-brokered talks in Washington DC today to discuss cooperation on Hezbollah disarmament. The talks were a major historic milestone, the first in-person meetings between Lebanese and Israeli representatives since 1993. Following two hours of talks, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel ...

Amal Boycotts Hezbollah-Backed Protests Amid Rising Tensions in Lebanon

Following a wave of protests by supporters of Hezbollah throughout the week, culminating on Saturday, the Amal Movement announced it would not participate in the demonstrations and urged its supporters to boycott them. In a statement, Amal warned that insults directed at state leadership risk fueling internal unrest, stressing that political ...

Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in U.S.

Lebanon's presidency said Friday that a meeting would be held with Israel in Washington next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and the start of negotiations between the neighbours. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly expressed readiness for direct talks with Israel since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle ...

Aoun Says 'Negotiation is Not Surrender,' Presses for Diplomacy

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gave a televised address on Sunday where he stressed the need for a diplomatic track, an overture which has stalled recently due to a shared perception the Lebanese state appears unwilling or unable to take serious action to disarm Hezbollah. Speaking on the prospects for diplomatic talks, President Aoun said, ...

Can Lebanon's Military Court Break Free of Hezbollah's Shadow?

Lebanon’s Military Court has drawn scrutiny for its handling of detainees linked to Hezbollah, reigniting long-standing criticism over its politicization and expansive legal authority. On March 9, the Military Court controversially ordered the release of three individuals arrested by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on charges of illegally ...

Israel Military Says Journalist Killed in Lebanon Member of Elite Hezbollah Unit

The Israeli military said it had killed on Saturday a member of an elite unit of Hezbollah who worked as a journalist for Al Manar television network. The military targeted and eliminated Ali Shoeib, a "terrorist in the intelligence unit of Hezbollah's Radwan Force," it said in a statement. Shoeib, it said, "operated within ...

Breaking the Cycle: Lebanon, Israel, and the Case for a New Strategic Approach

Since Hezbollah plunged Lebanon into war, key questions have emerged about the country’s domestic future. Foremost among them: how will the Lebanese state address Hezbollah’s arsenal, and what will Israel pursue in its campaign against the group? In the months leading up to the new war, it became clear that the Lebanese state had not fully ...

Lebanon Plea: A Peace Initiative or a Lifeline for Hezbollah?

Lebanon’s call for direct negotiations with Israel and its pledge to disarm Hezbollah are being framed in Beirut as historic. But it may instead be a delayed response, too late to stop the war, too weak to change its course, and potentially giving Hezbollah room to maneuver. On Monday, President Joseph Aoun urged an immediate ceasefire and ...

Lebanon Says 7 Killed in Israeli Strike on Central Beirut

Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs overnight against Hezbollah, which ...

Hezbollah Says No Choice But 'Resistance', Self-Defense

The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc Mohamed Raad vowed to continue fighting Israel "whatever the cost", on Monday, in remarks broadcast by Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV. Defending his party, and blasting the Lebanese government, Raad said the group's goal is to "to drive the enemy out of our occupied land... And quite plainly, we have no other ...