{
  "id": 7778816,
  "title": "Lebanon wants Israel security deal as prelude to peace",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/lebanon-wants-israel-security-deal-as-prelude-to-peace-7778816",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T10:58:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/09/16/lebanon-wants-israel-security-deal-as-prelude-to-peace"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for international support for Lebanon's military as it disarms Iran-backed Hezbollah, potentially paving the way for a security agreement with Israel, according to an exclusive interview with AFP. Aoun stated that this security deal could serve as a precursor to a future peace agreement, but emphasized that negotiations were necessary, as war would be extremely costly. The Lebanese president reiterated his firm stance on disarming Hezbollah, dismissing it as non-negotiable. With the UN peacekeeping mandate set to expire at the end of the year, Aoun sought European or other international forces to prevent a security vacuum. He assured that the objective was not confrontation, emphasizing the determination to resolve the issue peacefully and avoid a new civil war. Aoun also stressed the importance of maintaining mutual respect and non-interference with Iran in Lebanon's internal affairs. With UNIFIL's mandate ending, Aoun expressed hope for a temporary force to fill the gap until the Lebanese army can take over.",
  "summary": "President Joseph Aoun says a security agreement with Israel regarding troop deployment at the border must precede any discussion of a peace deal.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Lebanon wants Israel security deal as prelude to peace",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/lebanon-wants-israel-security-deal-as-prelude-to-peace",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:58:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Trump administration plans $2.8bn arms deal for Israel",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/trump-administration-plans-2-8bn-arms-deal-for-israel",
        "published": "2026-09-16T11:11:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Lebanese president: Security deal with Israel would be potential prelude to peace",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/lebanese-president-security-deal-with-israel-would-be-potential",
        "published": "2026-09-16T11:33:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}