Aoun: Lebanon can only be secure and united under a single state and an army that protects everyone

Beirut – Mansour Shaaban: Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that his country will host the seventh round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, under US sponsorship, on August 4 next year. Speaking before the Italian Parliament, Tajani said, “We will host another dialogue session (between Lebanon and Israel) on August 4,” following a round of talks between delegations from the two countries in Rome last week that “allowed for tangible progress in identifying initial pilot areas,” according to AFP.

Tajani’s announcement of the new date came after the Lebanese-US summit held at the White House between US President Donald Trump and Lebanese General Joseph Aoun, injecting a note of optimism tempered by caution that characterizes the ground situation in the south.

Meanwhile, Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh Maawad hosted a dinner in honor of President Aoun and his delegation, attended by members of Congress and US administration officials. In his speech, Aoun stated, “Lebanon cannot be secure and united unless it is one state with one army that protects all Lebanese without discrimination.” He added that the Lebanese model deserves protection not only for Lebanon itself but for the region as well, “because it is built on the same foundation upon which your nation was built.”

He further remarked, “Hezbollah can be disarmed if we are sincere about what is truly required: namely, ending the occupation, allowing the army to assume full control, and implementing a state-run reconstruction program.”

Yesterday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited the village of Zaiter al-Gharbi, the first pilot area entered by the army, where he raised the Lebanese flag before departing. Delivering two messages as the Israeli withdrawal began, Salam said, “I wish to address all Lebanese, especially our people in the south, in the town of Zaiter al-Gharbi. This is a national moment carrying significant political and moral dimensions, as it marks the beginning of the Israeli withdrawal from our land. We have emphasized from the outset that our goal is the complete Israeli withdrawal from all our territories. What we are witnessing today is only the beginning, but we are determined and steadfast, and we will continue to mobilize all our political and diplomatic efforts to ensure a full withdrawal from all Lebanese territories. This is my first message.”

He added, “My second message is to our people in the south. We are here to confirm that we have begun mobilizing all state capacities to accompany your return. The Lebanese army and security forces are present to protect our returning people. Alongside the completion of the army’s deployment, we will continue opening roads, clearing rubble, and providing essential services, enabling our people to return safely and with dignity to their homes and villages.”

In response, the Progressive Socialist Party welcomed the Aoun-Trump talks, praising in a statement “what was issued by the Lebanese Presidency following the bilateral summit, particularly President Aoun’s affirmation of the urgent need for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories, as the natural prerequisite for consolidating internal stability and enabling the Lebanese state to exert its authority through its own forces across all its territories.”

The party emphasized that “the complete Israeli withdrawal is a national right that is non-negotiable, as it is based on international resolutions, agreements, and the Taif Agreement, which stressed the restoration of the Lebanese state’s full authority up to internationally recognized Lebanese borders.”

While welcoming US President Trump’s announcement that Israelis are “in the process of withdrawing from Lebanese areas,” the party condemned “Israeli firing that targeted army personnel during a deployment mission in Zaiter al-Gharbi,” and stressed “the necessity of compelling Israel to address any issues through the special military coordination group for Lebanon.”

For his part, Leader of the Lebanese Forces Party Samir Geagea affirmed that the Aoun-Trump summit “at the White House constitutes a key milestone within what he described as the ‘Washington track,’ emphasizing that the importance of this track lies in addressing the root causes of the crisis and achieving lasting and sustainable stability in the south and in Lebanon.”

Following his meeting with Geagea in Maarab, MP and Brigadier General Ashraf Rifi declared his full support for the Presidents of the Republic and the Council of Ministers, Nawaf Salam, stating that “this is not merely their battle, but the battle of all Lebanese who believe in the state.”