Aoun: The framework formula is beginning to yield results, and Washington is now listening to us
Beirut - Mansour Shaaban
It will not be long before the atmosphere surrounding the sixth round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations, sponsored by the United States in Rome, becomes clear. The first day was described as “productive” by a U.S. State Department official. On its second day, the session concluded after discussing several files raised between Lebanon and Israel, particularly those concerning the “two experimental zones.”
At the same time, President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun is holding meetings to gauge the opinions of his guests regarding the negotiations and his upcoming trip to the White House to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, a visit backed by strong support. President Aoun affirmed before the “Orthodox Meeting” delegation that “the framework formula is the best possible and is already yielding results; Washington is now listening to us, and the Lebanon file is on the U.S. President’s table.” He added, “Our objectives are clear, and we will not compromise on Lebanon’s rights.”
He stressed that “the right to differ is legitimate, but disagreement is not; dialogue among Lebanese should take place under the umbrella of national interest, not to prioritize personal interests.” He considered that “resentment does not build a state or institutions; rather, it destroys them. Lebanese must choose what will save their country and protect it from others’ ambitions.” He clarified that “the path is not smooth and is fraught with difficulties, but there is great hope of achieving results that will end the bloodbath.”
For his part, MP Simon Abi Ramia, after meeting President Aoun, affirmed his support for positions “aimed at achieving the complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories, the safe return of Southerners to their villages, the release of prisoners, and the reconstruction of what was destroyed by the aggression.”
In the Parliament, Speaker Nabih Berri presided over a legislative session during which several bill proposals were approved. Meanwhile, the leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, stated that he “fully supports the general amnesty law,” hoping it will be voted on “without being sabotaged.”
Geagea, in a speech during the annual dinner of Al-Masira magazine, considered that “this position does not stem from any populist or political considerations, but from a firm conviction that judicial grievances accumulated over the years must be addressed, and that a path marred, in his words, by much manipulation of files and nepotism in prosecutions must be corrected.”
Geagea said, “Reviewing the history of relations with Gulf states clearly shows that they have never carried any insult to Lebanon; rather, they have always been based on support and solidarity.” He believed that “the relationship between Lebanon and Gulf states was not limited to the political dimension; it was also embodied in hosting hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who found there employment opportunities and stability, as well as the repeated initiatives offered by these countries to support Lebanon whenever it faced economic, security, or humanitarian crises.” He emphasized that “their contributions were present in all stages of the country’s reconstruction,” noting that “the paradox lies in the fact that the countries that stood by Lebanon and helped its people are now facing attacks without any justification.”
He considered that “Lebanon’s natural position, given this history, is to stand by Gulf states in the face of the attacks they are subjected to.”
Meanwhile, Maron Khawli, President of the General Union of Lebanese Workers, expressed in a statement his concern “over the continued absence of any official decision or executive mechanism to translate the announcement issued by French President Emmanuel Macron during his recent meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, which stipulated the exemption of Lebanese students enrolled in French public universities from registration fees for the 2026-2027 academic year.”
He called on President Salam to “make urgent contacts with the Élysée Palace circles and relevant French authorities, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants and the Lebanese Embassy in Paris, to complete executive procedures and issue necessary official clarifications before the start of the academic year.”
In the south, the situation remains under close monitoring amid the continuation of Israeli-led operations in border areas up to the Lebanese capital. Recently, settlers from the “Ore Tzavon” movement (which openly calls for settlement in southern Lebanon!) infiltrated the Hasbani River deep into Lebanese territory to swim and picnic for the second time within just one week.
