Salam to CNN: Government efforts 'compromised' by Israeli attacks in the south

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam once again condemned on Wednesday to American television channel CNN the ongoing Israeli attacks on South Lebanon, despite the cease-fire, which he said are "compromising the efforts" of his government as it tries to regain monopoly over arms, launch reconstruction projects, and negotiate the return of Lebanese detainees and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from territories it continues to occupy.

When questioned by journalist Becky Anderson about the possibility of future peace with Israel, Salam reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, but said that the conditions for peace are not yet in place. "Israel continues to occupy Lebanese territory and violate Lebanon's sovereignty on a daily basis. In this context, it is not logical to talk about peace," he said. The Arab Peace Initiative was proposed at an Arab League summit in Beirut to resolve the conflict with Israel, and notably called for a total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and a solution for Palestinian refugees.

Instability in South Lebanon

The head of the cabinet also reiterated, during this interview given from Dubai, that "Israel continues to occupy Lebanese territory and violates Lebanon's sovereignty daily. Given this reality, it remains illogical to speak of peace." He recalled that Israel continues to occupy five positions in South Lebanon, along the Blue Line, and still holds Lebanese civilians abducted before and after the truce. Israel is detaining a total of about twenty Lebanese, including nine civilians.

"This situation perpetuates instability in the south and compromises my government's efforts," he warned, adding that it was "regrettable that Israel does not respect the agreement concluded in November 2024." According to the agreement, cross-border attacks were to cease on both sides; Hezbollah was to withdraw north of the Litani and hand over its weapons to the authorities. At the same time, the Israeli army was to withdraw from Lebanon, and the Lebanese army was to deploy in South Lebanon and restore state authority in the region.

Salam said that south of the Litani River, the state now exercises "full operational control." "This is the first time since 1969 that the state has exercised such control. It is a historic moment for Lebanon, achieved under extremely difficult circumstances," he asserted. "Completing the first phase within the allotted time is in itself a major achievement given the challenges we face," he stressed, referring to Hezbollah's refusal to disarm and the near-daily Israeli attacks in South Lebanon. In early January, the Lebanese army announced the completion of the first phase of the state's exercise of sovereignty in this border zone. It then began preparing the second phase, between the Litani and Awali rivers, for which it will soon present its plan to the government. "The second phase is part of a five-stage plan the army presented to the government last September. At the end of this phase, the army is expected to be able to declare total monopoly over weapons in this region," Salam added.

'We are not asking anyone to act on behalf of Lebanon'

Addressing the end of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) scheduled for December 2026, Salam stated that this mandate will not be extended in its current form. "An international presence, in one form or another, will remain necessary in the south of the country. This presence is essential to monitor the situation on the ground, relay facts, and serve as a liaison officer, especially given the long history of conflict between Lebanon and Israel," he said.

He also said that Lebanon needs increased support from its international partners for the next steps. "We are not asking anyone to act on behalf of Lebanon. But we do need significant support for the Lebanese armed forces. There will be a vacuum in the south, and we have to recruit additional personnel, guarantee their training and equipment, to ensure total state monopoly of arms throughout Lebanese territory. That is why a support conference for the army and Lebanese security services will be held on March 5 in Paris," he noted. The international conference to support the Lebanese army was announced in mid-January by the Lebanese presidency following a meeting in Baabda with ambassadors and envoys from the Quintet (France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, United States), including French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian and Saudi Foreign Ministry advisor Yazid bin Farhan. The conference is to be inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron.