Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Beirut stands ready to engage in internationally sponsored negotiations to secure an agreement that would end Israeli strikes on the country and lead to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from five border hills they have occupied since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended last year.
Mr Aoun did not say whether the negotiations with Israel would be direct, adding that they could be brokered by the US, UN or the international community.
“The Lebanese state is ready to negotiate – under UN, US or joint international sponsorship – any agreement that would establish a framework for a permanent end to transborder aggressions,” said Mr Aoun in a televised address marking Independence Day, adding that the Lebanese army is ready to be posted in all points from where Israeli troops withdraw.
Mr Aoun added on Friday that the ceasefire monitoring committee, which is made up of the US, France, Israel, Lebanon and the UN peacekeeping force known as Unifil, can then verify that only forces of the Lebanese state are posted along the border.
His offer comes at a time when Israel has intensified its strikes in Lebanon. On Tuesday, an air strike killed 13 people in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain Al Hilweh near the southern city of Sidon in the deadliest attack since the ceasefire went into effect.
The Israeli army said on Friday that the strike had been an attack on “Hamas terrorists”.
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