Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (center) in a meeting with the Lebanese Maronite Order at the Baabda Presidential Palace on 3 July 2026. (Credit: @LBpresidency/X)
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun said Friday from the Baabda Presidential Palace that the framework formula with Israel "does not legitimize the continued Israeli occupation in Lebanon; rather, it stipulates empowering the Lebanese Army to extend its control over all Lebanese territories.," the Lebanese Presidency said on X.
His comments came as he was receiving delegations from the Association of Universities of Lebanon, the Order of Physicians of Lebanon, and the Lebanese Maronite Order.
Lebanon and Israel signed a U.S.-brokered framework agreement on June 26. The deal includes a security annex outlining a progressive Israeli troop withdrawal, from "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese Army tasked with managing the areas and disarming Hezbollah.
The agreement has caused deep political divisions across Lebanon. It is actively supported by "sovereignist" factions as a path to peace and state authority, while the Hezbollah-Amal alliance and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri categorically reject it, warning it could cause civil strife.
Aoun said that "our sovereign decision to separate our path from the Iranian-American track is a problem for some who are accustomed to being under guardianship that controls us, decides for us, and negotiates on our behalf. We are a democratic country that respects freedom of opinion, but there are red lines that must not be crossed, such as inciting sedition or attempting to topple the government in the streets."
For several weeks, the Lebanese authorities have been emphasizing the importance of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to preserve the cease-fire and secure the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied South. Meanwhile, the alliance maintains that the cease-fire in Lebanon is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Washington and Tehran, as it rejects all direct talks with Tel-Aviv.
Aoun continued that "power does not lie in the ability to wage war or sustain it, but in the courage to end it through negotiation, which is a battle without bloodshed. No one doubts the role of the army, and it will fully assume its responsibilities in achieving security and stability in the south after the withdrawal of Israeli forces."
