'What have we benefited from your war?': Aoun says diplomacy is not surrender
President Joseph Aoun hit back Sunday at those who have criticized the Lebanese state for pursuing diplomacy and negotiations.
"Some have asked about what we will get from negotiation, but I ask, 'What have we benefited from your war?' Negotiation is not a concession, diplomacy is not surrender and our contacts are ongoing to halt killing and destruction," said Aoun from Bkirki, where he attended Easter mass.
Aoun also said that he wants to spare south Lebanon from destruction on the scale seen in Gaza.
"It is true that Israel might want to do in southern Lebanon what it did in Gaza," Aoun said, after Israel launched airstrikes and a ground offensive against Hezbollah, destroying several southern Lebanese villages.
"Gaza was destroyed, over 70,000 people were killed, and they eventually sat down and negotiated, so why don't we negotiate... until we can at least save the homes that have not yet been destroyed?" he added.
Source: Naharnet, Agence France Presse
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