President Joseph Aoun during his interview with Sky News Arabia. (Screenshot)
On an official trip to the United Arab Emirates, President Joseph Aoun stated on Wednesday, in an interview with Sky News Arabia, that "the decision to remove weapons" not under state control "applies throughout Lebanese territory," but "priorities focus on the southern part of the country," where Hezbollah is strongly rooted.
He also stated that "patrols conducted by the army cover the entire national territory and proceed to seize all weapons and ammunition depots." As for current priorities and concentration, they focus on the area south of the Litani (the river that flows through southern Lebanon) because it is vast and requires essential resources, particularly in military engineering and explosive handling, to close this file. "In parallel, we continue our diplomatic contacts with the Americans and the French to reach a solution, namely the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the occupied points," he added.
"The essential thing is to retrieve heavy and medium weapons. Light weapons are part of the local culture, and it is challenging to collect them all. We must also pay attention to weapons held by Palestinians, not just by Lebanese or Hezbollah," continued the president. "Israel does not offer any positive initiative or clear military strategy to protect its northern border, further complicating the situation."
The Lebanese president also stated that the Israeli army was hindering the deployment of the Lebanese army across southern Lebanon by continuing to occupy five points it considers "strategic" on Lebanese soil. He indicated that Lebanese soldiers currently control 85 percent of the south of the country despite difficulties and "limited resources."
"The army, despite its limited resources, is deployed across the entire Lebanese territory, inside the country as well as at the east, north, northeast, and south borders. It performs border control missions, anti-terrorism operations, and anti-drug trafficking, in addition to law enforcement missions within the country and also in the south, with the available equipment and weaponry. This represents a heavy burden for the army, despite the economic crisis and its repercussions on soldiers' salaries and pensions, meaning the army is making considerable efforts," Aoun said. Public sector salaries in Lebanon have been devalued due to the collapse of the Lebanese lira and have not yet been adjusted to pre-2019 levels.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, overthrown by a coalition of Islamist rebels who took power in Syria, the Lebanese army has had to strengthen its presence at the border with this neighboring country, notably to curb smuggling and address insecurity caused by clashes between Lebanese clans living in these areas and new Syrian security forces. The fighting in Syria between supporters of the former regime and new authorities, which resulted in many civilian casualties — mainly Alawites but also Christians — also pushed a new wave of refugees toward northern Lebanon.
'Tired of war'
The president stated that Lebanon asked the United States and France, as guarantors of the truce agreement concluded at the end of November between Hezbollah and Israel, to exert pressure on the Israeli army to withdraw from occupied positions and allow the Lebanese Army to complete its deployment.
He also reported about 3,000 Israeli violations of the cease-fire, the most recent dating back to Sunday, with a strike targeting a hangar in the southern suburbs of Beirut. It was the third Israeli bombing in this area since Nov. 27, a part of the capital considered a stronghold of Hezbollah. "We have no other option than the diplomatic path with the concerned countries so that the army can fully deploy, fulfill its mission in the south, and fully implement Resolution 1701 [of the United Nations in 2006]," he said.
Aoun stated that "the Lebanese people are tired of war" and that, despite its slowness, the diplomatic path remains the sole priority. He also estimated that any confrontation with Israel would require a strategic and military balance that does not currently exist. He deemed it essential for the Lebanese army — "supported by the state and the unity of the people" — to be present along the whole border to prevent any incident.
Aoun also noted that Lebanon counts six armed Palestinian camps, including one south of Beirut and two in the north, formerly affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Aoun said that he prioritizes Lebanon's higher interest in its relations with all parties, emphasizing that "dialogue is the alternative to war," and reminding that the reconstruction of southern Lebanon is the responsibility of the Lebanese state.
