Lebanese president: Security deal with Israel would be potential prelude to peace

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has expressed interest in establishing a security agreement with Israel following a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory. In an interview, Aoun characterized such an arrangement as a potential precursor to a broader peace agreement, while noting that a direct transition to full peace is not currently feasible.

Central to this proposal is the disarmament of Hezbollah, which Aoun identified as a nonnegotiable requirement. He has called upon the United States, the European Union, and various Arab nations to provide support to the Lebanese military to facilitate this process. Additionally, Aoun advocated for the deployment of a new security force to replace the current United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) once its mandate concludes.