President Joseph Aoun (6th from the right), surrounded by members of the Tashnag delegation whom he received on Dec. 15, 2025, at the Baabda Palace. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun continues to consult with both domestic and international players in an attempt to quell Israeli aggression against southern Lebanon and bring stability to a part of the country where last November's cease-fire has failed to end the violence.
In comments made during a meeting with Tashnag, Lebanon's Armenian party, on Monday, Aoun said that "contacts are ongoing both domestically and internationally to ensure security and stability in south Lebanon, through negotiations within the cease-fire monitoring committee."
The meeting took place at Baabda Palace and was led by party Secretary-General Albert Balabanian and MP Hagop Pakradounian. Aoun also noted that the cease-fire monitoring committee will meet next Friday.
"Choosing negotiations is the alternative to war, which yields no results and will only bring loss and destruction to Lebanon and the Lebanese, without exception," Aoun continued, according to a statement released following the meeting. He emphasized the need to "adopt a sense of national responsibility and prioritize unity in order to strengthen Lebanon's position in the negotiations."
The cease-fire monitoring committee was established as part of the truce agreement, under the chairmanship of an American general. While it was initially comprised only of military personnel, Aoun and Netanyahu both appointed civilians to the committee in early December, marking the first direct negotiations between the two countries in over 40 years.
Lebanon had repeatedly expressed its willingness to negotiate with Israel to end the latter's ongoing attacks and its illegal occupation of several regions inside Lebanon along the Blue Line. Israel has violated the cease-fire agreement more than 12,000 times and killed more than 340 people since last November.
Rubio condemns Iran's 'outrageous' attacks on Kuwait
