Lebanese President, Joseph Aoun, said on Thursday that the specter of war has been pushed away from Lebanon, and things are moving towards positivity.
Aoun added after his meeting with Maronite Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi: "I greet all the Lebanese and, god willing, next year we will witness the birth of a new Lebanon and a state of accountability… a state of institutions, not of parties and sects," as reported by the official news agency.
Aoun added, "There is a wound that bleeds in the south. And god willing, with the birth of the new Lebanon, we will end the wars and live in peace."
He continued: "I, President (Nabih) Berri, and President (Nawaf) Salam are determined to hold the elections on time (Spring 2026), which is a constitutional mandate that must be carried out timely."
He went on to say: "Diplomatic efforts have not stopped in order to push the specter of war away. And I tell you that the specter of war has been pushed away from Lebanon, and things will move towards positivity, god willing."
Diplomatic efforts continue to support a fragile ceasefire on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
The ceasefire, supported by the United States, which was reached in November 2024, ended fighting that lasted more than a year between Israel and Hezbollah, and the agreement stipulated the disarmament of the Iran-aligned group starting from the areas bordering Israel.
The delay in the disarmament of Hezbollah is causing tension between Israel and Lebanon, amid attempts to reach a settlement to prevent escalation between the two sides.
