American Ambassador Michel Issa confirmed after his meeting with the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara al-Rai, that he reassured the Maronite Patriarch about the situation of the Christian villages in the south, after they had taken a commitment from Israel not to attack them, unless there was any infiltration by party elements. Regarding the performance of the Lebanese army at this stage, he said: “We know its ability to implement what it can implement, and it has the ability if it decides to do what is required of it, and we are waiting.” Issa added: "Peace cannot be reached without negotiating with Israel, and I told the Maronite Patriarch that from the first day we asked the Israelis to neutralize the Christian border villages in the south from bombing, and we received a promise to do so, on the condition that members of Hezbollah do not infiltrate these villages. We also asked the Lebanese army to maintain a presence in these villages, but no one knows how things will turn out." The American ambassador stressed that "Patriarch Al-Rahi is concerned with the safety of Lebanon away from the war, and I represent the United States of America. We are concerned for Lebanon to be independent, and I promised him to do everything necessary to stop the war." Issa concluded: “We appreciate President Joseph Aoun’s acceptance of negotiations with Israel to resolve the crisis, but Lebanon must decide whether it is able to meet with them, in light of the continuing strikes, and there is no peace without meetings.”