Exclusive JNews Lebanon
On the eve of August 1st—Army Day, when Lebanese eyes turn toward their military institution as the ultimate guarantor of national unity and sovereignty—diplomatic channels operated at full capacity to counter escalating Israeli threats. Between President Joseph Aoun’s high-stakes summit in Ankara and French President Emmanuel Macron’s direct phone call to Speaker Nabih Berri, intense diplomatic maneuvering is shaping the crucial balance surrounding the Rome negotiations and UNIFIL forces ahead of next week’s meetings in Italy.
Macron’s Call to Berri: The Central Role of UNIFIL and Rejection of Israeli Conditions
The phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Speaker Nabih Berri signaled strong international momentum to prevent further escalation. President Macron reaffirmed Paris’s unwavering commitment to Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty, while Speaker Berri stressed the urgent need for international pressure to compel Israel to halt its violations and execute a full withdrawal to international borders. Sources familiar with the discussion told “Jnews Lebanon” that preserving the core peacekeeping mandate of UNIFIL in the South remained a central pillar of the talks, with Lebanon rejecting any attempt to alter or weaken its operational scope outside international resolutions.
The Ankara Summit: Reaffirming State Sovereignty and Support for Army Deployment
Concurrently, President Joseph Aoun pursued his regional diplomatic initiative in Ankara, holding high-level talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During a joint press conference, President Aoun reiterated Lebanon’s firm stance: a complete Israeli withdrawal, the return of displaced citizens, and exclusive sovereign authority held by the Lebanese Armed Forces. President Erdogan voiced Turkey’s readiness to support any international effort that safeguards regional stability, offering Turkish backing for rebuilding efforts in the South and bolstering Lebanese security capabilities.
Exclusive Jnews Insights: Preparations for Rome 2 and the Army’s Role
Exclusive sources revealed to “Jnews Lebanon” that the Lebanese government and its negotiating team are finalizing their official position paper for the upcoming negotiations in Rome scheduled for August 4–6. Sources confirmed to “Jnews” that Lebanon will approach the round constructively, provided there are clear international guarantees enforcing a strict withdrawal timeline and an immediate end to village demolitions along the border.
The sources added that statements marking Army Day—from both Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal and Speaker Nabih Berri—underlined the military’s full operational readiness to deploy across liberated southern territories as Israeli forces withdraw, backed by unified domestic consensus against any unilateral security zones imposed by the occupation.
“Senior Government Source to Jnews: Returning to the table in Rome relies on implementing the Framework Agreement transparently; any Israeli attempt to turn provisional security lines into permanent facts on the ground is an infringement on national sovereignty that Lebanon will not accept.”
