After Greece agrees to Israeli weapons deal, Joseph Aoun asks Athens to help advance US-brokered framework agreement.<\/p>\n
Published On 31 Aug 202631 Aug 2026<\/p>\n
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for Greek help in enforcing the United States-brokered framework agreement <\/a>with Israel designed to put an end to hostilities.<\/p>\n Aoun asked Greek President Constantine Tassoulas in a meeting on Monday to assist in facilitating an end to Israel\u2019s occupation of areas of southern Lebanon and ongoing conflict with Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n The request came hours after Greece and Israel announced<\/a> a multibillion-dollar arms deal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe request Greece\u2019s assistance as much as possible to help Lebanon\u201d Aoun said in the meeting in Athens.<\/p>\n Lebanon and Israel signed in late June a framework agreement calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the area.<\/p>\n However, Hezbollah has rejected the deal unless Israel, which has continued air strikes and demolitions<\/a> across southern Lebanon, first withdraws from Lebanese territory.<\/p>\n That leaves Beirut seeking further support to end the hostilities, insisting that it is upholding its side of the deal.<\/p>\n Israel has killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon, wounded more than 12,000, and destroyed between 60 and 70 villages since March.<\/p>\n \u201cSolving the problem by military force will not succeed,\u201d Aoun warned. \u201cThe framework agreement\u2026 cannot be implemented unilaterally. It needs to be implemented on both sides,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n At a press conference with Aoun, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country supported \u201cthe sovereignty, independence and unity of Lebanon\u201d, and would support \u201call efforts aimed at de-escalation and mutual comprehension\u201d.<\/p>\n Aoun said he looked forward to further Greek support.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Lebanon and Israel concluded a seventh round of US-mediated talks. While negotiations were taking place in Rome, Israel escalated<\/a>\u00a0attacks in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n