Upon being accused of “treason” by Hezbollah, Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, lashed out at the terror group, defending his decision to enter peace talks with Israel.

He noted the irony of the accusation that Aoun had started negotiations without a consensus, pointing out that Hezbollah had, in fact, started a war without consensus.

His remarks come as the IDF is pushing deeper into Lebanon, beyond the southern part of the country and into the Bekaa Valley, as well as continuing to destroy targets throughout the south. The IDF is leaving no stone unturned in its mission to destroy any place where weapons are produced, stored and launched.

The war of words is also occurring against the backdrop of the government’s order that Iran’s ambassador leave, which has yet to happen and which has deeply angered Hezbollah.

Addressing the accusation over the lack of consensus, Aoun demanded, “There are those who criticize us for deciding to enter negotiations, claiming there is no national consensus. I ask: When you went to war, did you have consensus?”

To those who criticized the government, accusing it of entering negotiations “in a state of submission,” Aoun said, “Wait until the negotiations begin, and then judge the result.”

“How long will the people of southern Lebanon continue to pay the price for the wars of others on our land?” he added, citing the wars of Gaza and Iran as wars that don’t concern Lebanon.

Then he turned the tables, accusing Hezbollah of treason in turn. “What we are doing is not treason,” he declared. “The traitors are those who drag their country into war to serve foreign interests. My goal is to bring about an end to the war with Israel, similar to the ceasefire agreement.”

Aoun rejected the notion that there was anything to feel humiliated about in the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

“Was the ceasefire agreement a humiliation? I will not agree to a humiliating agreement,” he said.

Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s leader, pushed back, as the group he leads continued to strike IDF targets and northern communities in Israel. He categorically rejected calls to disarm, vowing that Hezbollah would never give up its weapons but would continue fighting “occupation.” He finds only two options facing the terror group: “liberation and dignity, or occupation and humiliation — and humiliation is far from us.”

On the other hand, he sneered at what he called the Lebanese government’s rush toward humiliation.

“We completely reject direct negotiations,” he declared. “They must be stopped, indirect negotiations must be adopted, and the March 2 decision criminalizing Hezbollah and its supporters must be canceled.”

Will the war of words turn to enforcement? Will Aoun follow his strong rhetoric with forceful action? That’s what Israel is waiting to see — because that’s the only way a peace deal with Lebanon will ever endure.