Lebanese president vows to continue direct talks with Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun vows to continue negotiating with Israel, saying in a statement that the decision to hold the talks affirms Lebanon’s sovereignty and that he hopes his country can secure its rights through the talks.

Lebanon and Israel have held several rounds of US-backed negotiations and are slated to continue them next week in Rome. As part of an interim agreement, Israel is meant to withdraw from two so-called “pilot zones” it controls in south Lebanon and hand them over to the Lebanese army.

It is expected to withdraw from one of the areas in the coming days, and will continue to hold a buffer zone in south Lebanon meant to distance Hezbollah from the border. The Iran-backed terror group opposes the talks.

Aoun dismisses criticisms of the direct talks between the neighbors, which do not have formal relations, saying they don’t merit a response because the countries have negotiated throughout their history.

He says that while the negotiations are complex, they have a chance of succeeding. He says opponents of the talks seek to make Lebanon a tool of Iran.