Salam's wishes for the army's 80th anniversary: 'One army for one people in one homeland'

In the early hours of a day marking the 80th anniversary of the Lebanese Army, against a backdrop of political discussions on the state's monopoly on arms, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday wished Lebanon "one army for one people, in one homeland."

In a message posted on the X platform, a day after a landmark speech by President Joseph Aoun in which he directly addressed Hezbollah and its supporters, calling on them to "bet on the State," the head of government paid tribute to "our proud army, for the sacrifices of its soldiers, officers and martyrs."

Believing that the troops are "the emblem of our sovereignty and independence," he emphasized that the army represents "a solid bulwark for our security," at a time when Hezbollah positions itself as "resistance" in the face of Israel. The Israeli state continues to carry out daily attacks in several regions of Lebanon, particularly the South and the Bekaa.

A series of strikes Thursday night targeted several sectors in the heights of Jezzine as well as in the Bekaa, killing at least two people, according to information from our correspondent. The Israeli army said it struck Hezbollah missile production sites.

'No salvation for Lebanon without a monopoly on arms'

"There will be no salvation for Lebanon without serious work to entrust the monopoly on arms to the army, and there will be no stability if state authority does not cover the entire national territory, with its own forces," added the prime minister. He concluded by specifying that these demands are included in the Taif Agreement, concluded in 1989 to put an end to the civil war (1975-1990), and in the ministerial declaration of his government.

Salam is scheduled to chair a Cabinet meeting next Tuesday devoted to the issue of the monopoly on arms, which risks causing the collapse of the cabinet if Hezbollah persists in refusing to hand over its arsenal. The previous day, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had said that the army was "at the heart of the hopes of the Lebanese in terms of security, defense of the land and of the human being, and for the resurrection of Lebanon."

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Michel Menassa said that "implementing Security Council Resolution 1701 in all its aspects will help stabilize and consolidate security in the South (...) and strengthen the credibility of the Lebanese state thanks to its legitimate forces." Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, serves as the framework for the ceasefire agreement that put an end to the open war between these same belligerents for 13 months, from October 2023 to November 2024. It notably provides for "the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that (...) only the State possesses weapons and exercises its authority."