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Joseph Aoun calls for Israel to cease attacks in US meeting
Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite a November ceasefire that sought to end over a year of hostilities with Hezbollah.
2 min read
Aoun asserted in his meeting with the US envoy "the need to activate the work of the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Committee" [Lebanese PM's Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images]
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for an end to Israeli strikes on his country during his meeting with US envoy Morgan Ortagus on Tuesday, amid intensified Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite a November ceasefire that sought to end over a year of hostilities with Iran-backed Hezbollah, usually saying it is targeting members of the group.
In October alone, Israeli strikes killed 23 people in Lebanon, according to the country's health ministry.
A statement released by the presidency said Aoun had asserted in his meeting with the US envoy "the need to activate the work of the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Committee... particularly with regard to halting the ongoing Israeli violations".
A five-member committee, which includes the United States and France, is in charge of overseeing the implementation of the truce.
Ortagus is expected to attend the committee's meeting this week.
Aoun also emphasised "the need to enable southern citizens to return to their homes and repair damaged ones, especially with winter approaching".
Israeli strikes in recent weeks have targeted excavators and bulldozers. Lebanese officials believe these strikes aim to prevent any reconstruction work in the war-ravaged south.
The United Nations human rights office said on Tuesday that it had verified the killing of 111 civilians by Israeli forces since the ceasefire in Lebanon.
As part of last year's ceasefire deal, Israeli troops were to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River and dismantle any military infrastructure in the south.
According to the agreement, only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers are to be deployed in the south of the country.
Under US pressure and fearing an escalation of Israeli strikes, the Lebanese government has moved to begin disarming Hezbollah, a plan the movement and its allies oppose.
Despite the terms of the truce, Israel has kept troops deployed in five border points it deems strategic.
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