Aoun Rejects US Proposal for Joint Call with Netanyahu, Insists on Halting Aggression First

Informed sources reported that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun categorically rejected a US proposal for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to join a phone call he was having with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The sources clarified that Rubio presented the proposal during the discussions, but the Lebanese presidency preferred to keep communication channels within their current diplomatic framework without direct contact with the Israeli side.\n\nThe Lebanese presidency had previously issued a statement confirming that President Aoun received a phone call from the US Secretary of State, during which Aoun expressed his appreciation for Washington's efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement. The Lebanese President also emphasized the importance of US support for Lebanon at all levels given the current circumstances the country is experiencing.\n\nFor his part, Marco Rubio affirmed during the call the US administration's continued diligent efforts to reach a final formula for halting military operations, ensuring the establishment of peace, security, and stability in the region. The US Secretary expressed his appreciation for the positions taken by President Aoun in managing the complex political and field crisis.\n\nIn a related context, President Joseph Aoun reiterated his assertion that a comprehensive ceasefire represents the natural and sole gateway to any future direct negotiations. He indicated that the Lebanese state is keen to halt military escalation in the South and all Lebanese areas to protect civilians from continuous shelling.\n\nAoun clarified that the top priority currently is to stop targeting women, children, and safe civilians in their homes, and to put an end to the systematic destruction affecting Lebanese villages and towns. These statements come at a time when the Lebanese arena is witnessing sharp differences regarding the mechanisms for dealing with increasing international and regional pressures.\n\nOn the parliamentary level, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri held a call with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, during which he stressed the necessity for the announced truce between Washington and Tehran to directly include the Lebanese arena. Berri considered that excluding Lebanon from any regional understandings would increase the suffering of the Lebanese people in light of the ongoing aggression.\n\nThere is a state of conflicting diplomatic narratives regarding the scope of the proposed truce. While Tehran and Pakistani mediation affirm that Lebanon is an integral part of the understandings, Washington and Tel Aviv deny this. The Israeli army continues to carry out its aerial and ground attacks, which have resulted in thousands of casualties and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents from the South.\n\nDomestically, political voices opposing the current communication path have emerged, with reports indicating the dissatisfaction of Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt with the nature of indirect discussions. Jumblatt expresses serious concerns about the repercussions of any sudden political or security opening with Tel Aviv on Lebanon's fragile internal stability.\n\nJournalistic sources reported that President Aoun canceled all his scheduled appointments on Thursday to dedicate himself to following the rapidly developing international communications. This step came amid widespread anticipation for the results of the US mediation led by Marco Rubio to bridge views on de-escalation.\n\nIn Washington, reports revealed a meeting between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel to discuss the possibility of launching a technical negotiation track, a step that sparked widespread controversy in Beirut. Observers warned that such moves could lead to sharp political divisions that redraw the Lebanese political map based on old alignments.\n\nThe US administration, through these moves, seeks to push the parties towards a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, to serve as a cornerstone for expanding comprehensive regional de-escalation. However, this path clashes with Hezbollah's categorical rejection of any direct peace negotiations with Israel, insisting on the necessity of halting aggression first without preconditions.\n\nThe official Lebanese position remains committed to international legitimacy and Resolution 1701 as a framework for a solution, while emphasizing the rejection of any dictates that exceed national sovereignty. Political circles await the coming hours to see if US pressures will succeed in extracting an Israeli commitment to halt military operations in Lebanon.\n\n"A ceasefire is the natural gateway to any direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, and we are keen to stop targeting innocents and destroying homes.