Salam and Aoun hold a 'frank discussion' on Raouche incident

BEIRUT — Having returned to Beirut from New York, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly, President Joseph Aoun received Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at Baabda on Tuesday to discuss the various meetings he'd held while in the U.S.

However, the meeting also included one particularly pertinent topic amid palpable tensions over Hezbollah's decision last Thursday to go against a directive from Salam and project images of its slain leaders on Raouche Rocks during a commemoration march, during which security forces did not intervene.

According to a statement released on the Presidency's X account, Salam and Aoun discussed "the internal situation and ways to resolve what happened in Raouche," a traditionally Sunni area on Beirut's western shoreline.

A source familiar with the meeting told L'Orient Today that Aoun had felt it was no appropriate to criticize the army for not getting involved in the Raouche incident, especially considering its mandate is primarily taken up by its role in disarming Hezbollah. Salam, who is Sunni himself, was reportedly understanding, but emphasized the importance of the state's decisions being implemented. "The two heads of state had a frank discussion," the source said. "They shared their points of view, and agreed to continue working together."

On Monday, Aoun met with House Speaker Nabih Berri, 'Hezbollah's big brother.'

The projection of images of long-time Hezbollah leader and regional figure Hassan Nasrallah and his presumed successor Hashem Safieddine, both assassinated by Israel during the last war, was in violation of an administrative decision by Beirut governor Marwan Abboud, who had limited the number of participants who would be allowed to attend the march and banned any projection of the former leaders' images onto the iconic Raouche Rocks.

After Hezbollah's disregard for the decision, Salam announced that legal action would be taken against those responsible and denounced the inaction of the army and security forces for not preventing the violation. Salam also appeared to threaten to suspend his duties, canceling several appointments to "focus" on resolving this matter.

Landing back in Beirut in the aftermath of the incident, Aoun stated that "civil peace" was "above any other consideration," rejecting criticism of the army. Since Aoun appointed Salam in February, this is the second time their unity has appeared to experience some turmoil. They had previously disagreed over the appointment of Karim Souhaid as head of the Bank of Lebanon last March.

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In Baalbeck, Haykal praises military commitment

On another front, army commander-in-chief Rodolphe Haykal visited the Mohammad Makki barracks in Baalbeck on Tuesday, telling soldiers that "all Lebanese appreciate their sacrifices for the country's security and the future of their children." The army has been involved in several large-scale drug busts in the area over the last few months, as the country intensifies its crackdowns on illegal drug trafficking.

During his visit, he praised "the performance of the soldiers in pursuing fugitives and public order offenders, as well as their efforts in fighting criminal gangs, especially those involved in drug trafficking and distribution."

"The nation's security is a responsibility that falls to us," the army chief said, "and the army command is dedicated to the sacredness of its mission, committed to the national interest and the security of all Lebanese."

"The army continues to fulfill its responsibilities in the current exceptional climate, notably in the face of ongoing attacks by the Israeli enemy and major security challenges."

Haykal was awarded the National Order of the Cedar, at the rank of grand cordon, by Aoun on Monday, "in recognition of the mission he carries out at the head of the army and his sacrifices."