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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced Thursday that Lebanon and Israel will hold a new round of talks on December 19, focusing on confidence-building measures and efforts to prevent renewed conflict.
The announcement follows initial discussions earlier this week, which the president described as "positive." According to Information Minister Paul Morcos, Aoun acknowledged the first session was not expected to produce major outcomes but emphasized that it paved the way for future sessions.
The talks, held on Wednesday in the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura under U.S. mediation, marked the first direct and public negotiations between civilian representatives of the two countries since 1983. The agenda included initial confidence-building measures and the prospect of economic cooperation.
President Aoun framed the talks as part of a broader effort to avoid renewed conflict, stating that negotiation must prevail over warfare. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s stance that no compromises would be made on its sovereignty. Stressing that "there is no other option but negotiation," he cited historical lessons as a basis for rejecting military solutions.
On Friday, Aoun is expected to receive representatives of the United Nations Security Council along with U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus. He stated that he would use the meeting to call for international support for the negotiation process.
While diplomatic efforts move forward, tensions remain high along the Israel–Lebanon border. On Thursday, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting what the military described as Hezbollah weapons storage facilities, despite a ceasefire reached in November 2024.
Lebanon’s government has committed to dismantling Hezbollah’s armed capabilities, though the group—backed by Iran—has rejected disarmament. President Aoun indicated that a UN delegation would be deployed to southern Lebanon to assess the situation firsthand, while the Lebanese army continues efforts to implement the disarmament plan.
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