BEIRUT, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday defended Lebanon's framework agreement with Israel, saying diplomacy is the only viable alternative to war and rejecting criticism that the proposed framework undermines the country's sovereignty.
"Between the choices of war or negotiations, let us choose negotiations because we have already tried wars and they achieved no results," Aoun said, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese Presidency.
Aoun said the framework is a basis for negotiations aimed at securing an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the return of displaced people, and international support.
Describing the framework as "the best possible option" under the current circumstances, Aoun challenged critics to present an alternative, arguing that years of conflict had failed to resolve Lebanon's disputes with Israel.
The framework agreement, signed in Washington on Friday under U.S. mediation, aims to advance a lasting security arrangement between Lebanon and Israel and lay the groundwork for a broader peace process. It has sparked mixed reactions across Lebanon's political spectrum.
Meanwhile, the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies released a report on Wednesday, saying the return of displaced residents to southern Lebanon remains hampered despite the recently signed framework agreement.
Citing data from the National Council for Scientific Research, the report said more than 61,000 housing units were destroyed or damaged between March and May 2026, leaving large parts of southern Lebanon uninhabitable.
Around 134,800 displaced people remain in shelters, mainly in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, while women and girls account for more than half of the displaced population, including about 16,000 pregnant women.
The fear of renewed fighting remains a major obstacle to return, with many displaced families making only short visits to inspect their homes before returning to their temporary places of residence, it added.
The report said that without a lasting political settlement, sufficient reconstruction funding, and effective security guarantees, large-scale and sustainable returns are unlikely.
