Aoun and Berri ask American lawmakers to pressure Israel

BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday called on Washington to pressure Israel to honor its commitments and halt its attacks on Lebanon during separate meetings in Beirut with U.S. lawmakers Darin LaHood and Josh Gottheimer. Aoun urged the United States to push Israel to implement the framework agreement reached between the two countries. At the same time, Berri said Israel’s "failure" to meet its obligations was the "main obstacle" to a cease-fire agreement.

Receiving the two members of Congress and their delegation, Aoun said Lebanon "relies heavily on the United States to pressure Israel into implementing the framework agreement." He accused Israel of continuing to refuse to implement its terms, "while Lebanon has pledged to abide by it fully."

Aoun said the agreement must now move "quickly" on several issues: the return of Lebanese detainees, the resolution of disputed points along the Blue Line, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese Army along the internationally recognized border.

He argued that any delay in implementing the agreement would prolong tensions in south Lebanon, prevent the state from extending its authority there, "eliminating armed manifestations," and hinder the return of displaced people to their villages and towns.

In this context, Aoun called for an end to "the blasting, leveling and destruction operations" in villages across south Lebanon. Israeli forces have razed dozens of villages and continue to occupy an area of more than 600 square kilometers.

The president also stressed the need to strengthen the Lebanese Army’s capabilities so the state can fully exercise its authority. He said that, beyond its deployment in the South, the military must fight terrorism and smuggling, control the borders, preserve civil peace and protect state institutions.

Domestically, Aoun assured his interlocutors that the government remained committed to financial, economic and judicial reforms. He specifically cited amendments to the banking secrecy law, the restructuring of the banking sector and the media law.

LaHood praised Aoun’s efforts to "preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity" and extend state authority. He also cited the results of Aoun’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Lebanon faced "an opportunity to restore stability in the country and throughout the region" that should not be missed.

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Berri: Washington 'the only one capable' of pressuring Israel

At Ain al-Tineh, where he received the two U.S. lawmakers in the presence of U.S. Embassy chargé d’affaires Keith Hanigan, Berri also called on Washington to intervene with Israel.

"The main obstacle to implementing the cease-fire agreement in Lebanon lies in Israel’s failure to meet its obligations under all agreements reached to end the war," Berri said.

The speaker of Parliament, an ally of Hezbollah, argued that "the U.S. administration and President Donald Trump are the only ones able to apply pressure to force the Zionist state to end its war against Lebanon." He warned that continued hostilities "would undermine all efforts to enable the state and its institutions to assume their responsibilities at all levels."

Berri also reaffirmed his support for maintaining UNIFIL during his meeting with the U.S. lawmakers and a separate meeting with a British delegation led by the U.K.’s Deputy Chief of the Defense Staff, Charlie Collins.

Berri said "it is still possible to avoid the mistake of not renewing" the United Nations force’s mandate in south Lebanon, which expires at the end of the year. Under U.S. pressure, the U.N. Security Council decided in August 2025 to set December 2026 as the end of the international force’s mandate.

During the meeting with the British delegation, Berri also emphasized "the importance of maintaining international cover, under the United Nations flag, for any force called to support the Lebanese Army after the withdrawal of Israeli troops from occupied Lebanese territories."

British officials, for their part, presented military cooperation and aid programs for the Lebanese Army involving several countries.

The right to bring Israel to justice

Berri also received Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, who presented him with a "detailed and documented" report on the "crimes committed and continuing to be committed by Israeli occupation forces in south Lebanon against people and property."

On the occasion, Berri reaffirmed that "bringing Israel to justice for its crimes is a sovereign right of Lebanon and cannot be relinquished in any way whatsoever."

The statement directly echoes Article 13 of the Lebanese-Israeli framework agreement reached June 26 under U.S. mediation, which provides for Lebanon to waive any legal action against Israel for acts committed during the war.

Berri had already opposed the provision, arguing that such a waiver would undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty.