According to a report by Al Jazeera on August 11, 2026, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said negotiations with Israel were “making progress” but stressed that Beirut would not accept any continued Israeli military presence on Lebanese territory.
Aoun made the remarks after meeting with a delegation from the Maronite Institution for Propagation, where he discussed the ongoing negotiations and Lebanon’s position on the Israeli military presence.
He stated, “There is no disagreement among the Lebanese on the goals, from the Israeli withdrawal and the return of the prisoners, to the reconstruction of what has been destroyed.”
Aoun further said, “In the end, we will not allow Israel to remain, not even on a single inch of our land, nor a single soldier of its army to stay on our soil.”
The Lebanese president said negotiations were preferable to “the outcomes of the destructive war waged against us.”
He also noted that Israeli attacks had decreased following the signing of the framework establishing the talks.
Aoun’s remarks followed negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Rome last week, as both sides continued discussions aimed at addressing tensions between the two countries.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, Israeli military activity in Lebanon has continued. Israeli attacks were reported in several areas, including the Nabatieh region, where drones struck multiple times on Tuesday.
Aoun maintained that Lebanon’s position remained clear: Israel must withdraw completely from Lebanese territory.
He also stressed the importance of continuing negotiations as a means of addressing outstanding issues, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of prisoners and the reconstruction of areas affected by the conflict.