Lebanese President Joseph Aoun defends negotiations with Israel, saying they are not a betrayal and he will not surrender “a single inch of Lebanon’s territory”, according to the presidency, AFP reports.

Negotiations with Israel are not “treason but a diplomatic war without unnecessary bloodshed”, Aoun says.

The Lebanese president adds that Beirut has decided to engage in talks “to guarantee Israel’s withdrawal from its territory”.

“We will not yield a single inch of Lebanese territory,” Aoun declares.