Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. (Photo from X/@LBPresidency)
The Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, commemorated Saturday evening the 50th anniversary of the start of the civil war in Lebanon, calling for "dialogue" as the sole recourse to resolve the country's internal issues and insisting that only the Lebanese army and the 'unity' of the Lebanese people should constitute their 'weapons.'
Aoun delivered his speech on the eve of the commemorations of April 13 1975, when an incident involved the Christian militias in the Chiyah-Ain el-Remmaneh area, who machine-gunned a bus carrying Palestinians. Shortly before, a shooting had resulted in deaths among the Kataeb, notably the first victim, Joseph Abou Assi.
His address comes as the Lebanese political scene has been focused in recent weeks on the issue of the handover of Hezbollah's arsenal to the state, brought to the table since the party emerged weakened from its last war with Israel, between October 2023 and the end of November 2024, while the Israeli army continues to occupy some positions in southern Lebanon and bomb the country almost daily.
'Our unity is our weapon and our army is our weapon'
Addressing his "Lebanese brothers and sisters," Joseph Aoun called on all Lebanese to declare that "only the state protects us — the strong, sovereign, just state," insisting that "any weapon outside the framework or decision of the state threatens Lebanon's interests."
He also urged the Lebanese to "proclaim in unison: only the state, its army, and its official security forces protect Lebanon." Swearing that "the war is buried forever and it is impossible for it to return," the former head of the troop vowed in the name of the victims and future generations that "our unity is our weapon, and our army is our weapon, so that the next fifty years are filled with peace."
The head of state also emphasized that in 50 years, "two generations have seen their dreams vanish, and their lives erased," while Lebanon remains "lost." He called for remembrance of the "thousands of martyrs from all over Lebanon and all its regions," as well as the "missing and their relatives who will forever remain victims of the war," and questioned, "why did it come to this."
"Certainly, the war ended with the Taif Agreement, which included significant compromises and essential constitutional amendments. But the question remains: couldn't we have achieved these reforms through dialogue, without resorting to war, destruction, and fighting?"
'Only dialogue can solve our crises'
"We today have the duty to learn from these last fifty years," he called again. And the first of these lessons is that "violence and hatred solve no problem in Lebanon. Only dialogue can resolve our internal and structural crises." "Our country rests on several principles, foremost among them that no component can cancel another."
The different parties advocate several ways to find a solution to Hezbollah's disarmament. The latter, like the prime minister, Nawaf Salam, favor internal dialogue, while others, like the Lebanese Forces, sworn enemies of Hezbollah, want to impose the handover of the militia-party's arsenal according to a strict timetable.
'United under one flag'
The head of state then pointed out, in his "second lesson" from the war, the external interferences. "Every time a Lebanese relied on foreigners against their national partner, he lost, and his partners in the nation lost too." "Whatever the cost of an internal compromise, it will always be less than the price we pay by turning to the outside," he said.
"The third lesson is that we have no other refuge than the Lebanese state," declared Joseph Aoun. "Let no one be an oppressor, let no one be oppressed. Let no one be wronged, let no one be harmed. All, as I say and repeat, are united under one flag, bearing one identity."
President Aoun also criticized the unclaimed rocket launches from southern Lebanon in recent weeks, which provoked violent and deadly Israeli army responses. Commenting on these launches, the head of state denounced a "malicious conspiracy against the country," which only provided "further pretext for those who did not already need one to attack us, and they weaken the state vis-à-vis its allies."
He praised the fact that "the Lebanese unanimously condemned" the shootings, particularly mentioning the complaint filed by the Supreme Shia Council, "a welcomed and symbolic initiative."
