Dar al-Fatwa backs Aoun's right to hold talks to end war with Israel

The Supreme Islamic Sharia Council, headed by Lebanon’s Sunni Muslim Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, said that the “constitutional right” of President Joseph Aoun to pursue diplomatic negotiations to end the war with the “Zionist entity” should be respected.

The council blasted Israel, saying it launched “a devastating and relentless war on Lebanon and committed the most heinous and dangerous crimes.”

Lebanon and Israel’s ambassadors to Washington held two rounds of talks this month, the first official meetings between the two countries in decades.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah group is opposed to direct negotiations with Israel and has blasted the meetings held in Washington.

Trump said this week that Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to meet in Washington in the coming weeks.

There has been no official confirmation from Lebanon that Aoun will attend such a meeting with Netanyahu.