Aoun calls on those objecting to the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel to present an alternative

Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun called on those objecting to the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel to present an alternative, during his reception on Wednesday, delegations from the Bar Associations in Beirut and the North, and economic bodies, denying that Lebanon had given up on its principles. Aoun asked for an opportunity to test the agreement.

Aoun called on “those who object to the negotiations and the framework formula to present an alternative or present their opinions within the institutions,” adding, “Let us discuss politics, but disagreement is forbidden. Do not bring anyone closer to the street or distort the truth to convince his environment that what happened is surrender and humiliation for him.”

He pointed out that “Lebanon has a problem with Israel, and it is a sovereign state. It made a decision to negotiate on its own behalf, and it did not give up its principles judicially, politically, and on the ground in the framework formula, as some are promoting.”

Aoun asked, “Why are they distorting it? Well, they don’t want it, but let them give us a chance to try it. If it is implemented, it will have achieved the goal. Otherwise, it will have fallen on its own, or the Israelis would have dropped it, not us. But they want to drop it and consider it non-existent. Why and on what basis?”

The Lebanese President stressed that “the framework formula signed in Washington included provisions related to Israeli withdrawal, the return of displaced persons and prisoners, and even the bodies of Lebanese people in Israel,” pointing out that it is “not an agreement, but a framework.”

He added, “They said that we legitimized the Israeli occupation while all provisions stipulate extending state authority over the entire Lebanese territory and that the Israeli must be outside Lebanese territory. So where did we talk about legislating the occupation?”

Regarding the objections to the framework agreement saying that it talks about disarmament, Aoun said, “Well, what does the Taif Agreement say? Doesn’t it say about restricting weapons? The matter is mentioned in the Lebanese constitution, the implementation of which was delayed for forty years,” noting that “the framework sets rules to be followed by a security agreement that would go into the details.”

Aoun continued, “The state’s sovereignty lies in its independent decisions that it makes with conviction,” adding, “I have repeatedly repeated that between the options of war or negotiations, let us go to negotiations because we have previously tried wars and did not achieve results.”

He stressed that “sovereignty begins with the decision taken by the state until extending its authority over the entire Lebanese territory and ensuring the absence of any armed forces other than the legitimate Lebanese forces, and it cannot be detailed according to what some want.”

The President of the Republic denied “all rumors about an intention to dismiss the Army Commander, General Rudolph Heikal, or the leaders of the security services, with the exception of the Director General of Public Security,” praising “their role and the efforts they are making.”

He stressed that “such rumors aim to attack the army and security forces and not to enhance their role and presence.”