Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Monday at the Heliopolis Palace in Cairo, marking a pivotal moment in Lebanon’s Arab re engagement. The two leaders stressed the urgency of supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty and internal stability, amid repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese territory.
El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s firm position:
“We call on Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territories immediately and unconditionally, respect the 1949 Armistice Agreements, and fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
He added that Egypt will continue to back Lebanon without interfering in its internal affairs.
Aoun Reaffirms Commitment to resolution 1701
President Aoun emphasized that Lebanon remains committed to Resolution 1701, which ensures its territorial integrity and underpins the role of the UN Interim Force in the south. He also denounced ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and southern Lebanon, urging the international community to hold Israel accountable. Aoun also voiced support for a ceasefire agreement sponsored by the U.S. and France, and called for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese land, including the five occupied hills, and the return of Lebanese prisoners.
Gaza war
El-Sisi and Aoun addressed the broader regional implications of the Gaza conflict. The Egyptian president demanded an end to the Israeli offensive and warned against the displacement of Palestinians. He advocated for a rapid international reconstruction plan that empowers Palestinian authorities to manage Gaza.
Aoun supported the call, saying:
“We must establish peace in our region based on justice, by giving every people their rights.”
He reiterated Lebanon’s support for a sovereign Palestinian state and emphasized the importance of Arab unity in confronting extremism, poverty, and exclusion. In a separate interview with Egypt’s ON E channel, Aoun acknowledged that Arab countries are ready to reengage with Lebanon but only after genuine economic reforms and institutional stability are ensured. He shared optimism that Saudi flights to Lebanon would soon resume, following the UAE’s lifting of its four-year travel ban.
Call for arab unity and economic intergration
Closing his statements, Aoun proposed a long-term strategy for Arab collaboration , a system of common interests beginning with bilateral agreements and growing into a regional market. “Lebanon cannot exclude itself from the path of comprehensive and just peace,” he said.
Aoun meets grand imam
President also meet with Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar. The visit reflected the Lebanese president’s intention to solidify ties with influential religious and political figures in the Arab world.
