Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday defended his decision to pursue negotiations with Israel, pushing back against critics who accuse him of capitulation and arguing that those who led the country into war are now questioning efforts to end it.

“Those who dragged us into war in Lebanon are now holding us accountable for choosing to negotiate, claiming there’s no national consensus,” Aoun said. “When you chose to wage a war, did you have national consensus?”

Speaking at the presidential palace in Baabda during a meeting with a delegation from the regions of Hasbaya, Marjayoun and the Arqoub, Aoun noted that criticism and accusations had surfaced even before talks had begun.

“Some rushed to accuse us of surrender before negotiations even started,” he said. “Wait until the talks begin, then judge the results.”

Aoun questioned how long residents of southern Lebanon would continue to bear the cost of conflicts driven by external agendas, pointing in particular to what he described as “support wars” for Gaza and Iran.

“How long will the people of the South keep paying the price for other people’s wars fought on our land?” he said. “If this were a war for Lebanon, we would stand behind it. But when it serves the interests of others, I reject it entirely.”

The president said Lebanon had made clear to the United States that a ceasefire must be the first step toward any broader diplomatic process. He said this position was reiterated during two rounds of ambassador-level talks held in Washington on April 14 and April 23.

He pointed to a U.S. State Department statement issued after the first meeting, which, he said, explicitly stated that Israel would refrain from carrying out offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian and state infrastructure, across land, sea and air.

“This is the official position of the Lebanese state, whether in Lebanon or in Washington,” Aoun said. “Any other claims do not represent us and have no official backing.”

Rejecting accusations of betrayal, Aoun said the real betrayal lies in dragging the country into conflict for the benefit of external actors.

“What I’m doing is not betrayal,” he said. “Betrayal is taking your country to war to serve someone else’s interests.”

He added that his responsibility is to lead Lebanon out of crisis while adhering to national principles, with the goal of ending the state of war with Israel under a framework similar to an armistice agreement.

“My duty is to assume responsibility and lead Lebanon toward a way out,” he said. “The goal is to end the state of war with Israel, much like the armistice agreement did. Was that agreement a form of humiliation? Of course not. And I will not accept any deal that humiliates Lebanon.”