President Joseph Aoun described Lebanon's direct negotiations with Israel as “sensitive and pivotal,” stressing that national responsibility must be unified in the coming phase as international attention remains focused on Lebanon.

Speakikng during a meeting with a delegation of Beirut MPs, Aoun said the State’s position is centered on consolidating the ceasefire, securing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, recovering Lebanese detainees, and addressing unresolved border disputes.

He described the ceasefire as a gateway to negotiations, saying it represents a path supported both domestically and internationally. He pointed in particular to remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call the previous day, in which Trump expressed support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as Washington’s backing for efforts to end the suffering of the Lebanese people, restore stability, and revive an economy heavily damaged by the recent war.

Aoun added that the Lebanese army would play a central role following any Israeli withdrawal, deploying up to the international border in the south, dismantling armed manifestations, and reassuring residents returning to their towns and villages that only the Lebanese Armed Forces and legitimate security institutions would be present.

“The Lebanese, who have endured much in recent years, are now facing a new reality supported by Arab and international backing. This opportunity must not be squandered, because it may not come again,” he said.