Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed concerns on Monday about Israel potentially failing to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon on Tuesday, as stipulated by the ceasefire agreement.
اضافة اعلان
Aoun's comments came during a meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese Press Syndicate, led by President Joseph Kossaifi, at the Presidential Palace, as reported by Aoun's media office.
On Wednesday, Israel for the second time declared its failure to meet the deadline for withdrawing from southern Lebanon, announcing that its forces would remain in the occupied areas beyond February 18.
According to the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli military was supposed to complete its withdrawal by the morning of January 26, 2025, from the areas it occupied in southern Lebanon. This withdrawal was part of a 60-day deadline starting from November 27, 2024, when the ceasefire agreement came into effect.
President Aoun remarked, "The enemy (Israel) cannot be trusted, and we are concerned about the failure to achieve a complete withdrawal tomorrow."
Israel has not set a new date for completing its withdrawal from southern Lebanon. However, the official Israeli broadcasting authority reported that Israel has requested the International Monitoring Committee to extend the presence of its forces until February 28, which would add an extra 10 days. Beirut, however, rejected this extension request.
This committee consists of Lebanon, Israel, the United States, France, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Aoun added that Lebanon's response, if Israel fails to withdraw, would be "a unified and collective national stance," without further details.
He continued, "The option of war is not useful, and we will work through diplomatic means because Lebanon can no longer bear a new war. The military is ready to deploy in the villages and towns from which Israeli forces will withdraw."
He also emphasized, "It is important to achieve Israel's withdrawal, and Hezbollah's weaponry falls under solutions that the Lebanese people can agree upon."
No Fear of Sectarian Strife
Regarding internal affairs, Aoun expressed no fear of sectarian strife or division within the military ranks.
He added, "The martyrs of the army, who fell during the Israeli aggression, belong to all sects and regions of Lebanon, and the army's mission is sacred, so rest assured about that."
Israel's aggression against Lebanon began on October 8, 2023, escalating into a full-scale war on September 23, 2024, resulting in 4,104 deaths, 16,890 injuries (including a large number of children and women), and the displacement of around 1.4 million people.
Regarding the post-aggression reconstruction, Aoun stated that it is "contingent on reforms, and no external assistance will be provided without reform. The reconstruction process will cover all areas that were destroyed, and we welcome any assistance to remove the war's effects."
Syrian Refugees Issue
Regarding Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Aoun mentioned that a committee would be formed to address the issue of refugees in coordination with Syrian authorities. Ongoing communication is taking place via the General Security apparatus to address the issue of detained Syrians in Lebanon and expedite solutions inside prisons.
Meeting with the Quintet
On Monday morning, President Aoun met with the Quintet Committee, which includes the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the United States, and France.
Egypt's ambassador to Beirut, Alaa Moussa, stated in a press conference following the meeting that the Quintet continues to support Lebanon in its current phase and is committed to standing by the Lebanese state.
Moussa added that discussions with Aoun included the full Israeli withdrawal, with the five countries committed to urging Israel to withdraw as per the scheduled timeline. The Quintet is maintaining communications with all parties to ensure this happens.
Moussa also confirmed the Quintet's commitment to the reconstruction file, which will be entirely overseen by the Lebanese state.
Aoun, for his part, reiterated that he is following up on communications at all levels to "push Israel to adhere to the agreement and withdraw on time, and return the prisoners. The agreement's sponsors must take responsibility in assisting us."
Since the agreement's implementation, Israel has committed at least 925 violations in Lebanon, causing at least 74 deaths and 265 injuries, according to official Lebanese data.
For decades, Israel has occupied land in Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, refusing to withdraw and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the borders before the 1967 war.
