National unity messages: Aoun and other leaders extend greetings amid war

President Joseph Aoun and several Lebanese political and religious figures spoke Friday to extend their greetings on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, as the country is once again engulfed in the war between Hezbollah and Israel since March 2, in the wake of a broader war ignited by Israel and the United States against Iran.

In a message to the Lebanese on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, Aoun sent his "warmest and most sincere wishes" and expressed the hope that "this holiday may bring goodness, serenity and stability to Lebanon and its people."

"Our faith in the ability of the Lebanese to persevere and their attachment to their national unity remains a source of hope and confidence in a better future. Let us take this blessed occasion as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the values of brotherhood and compassion, and to strengthen the spirit of solidarity that has always distinguished the Lebanese in the darkest moments," he added.

Joseph Aoun also contacted the president of Kuwait, Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to express his regards and to wish him "that God brings prosperity, happiness and blessings to Kuwait, its leadership and its people."

In the evening, the Lebanese presidency reported that the head of state spoke with his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. "During the call, President Aoun condemned the attacks suffered by the United Arab Emirates, affirming the solidarity of the Lebanese people with the Emirati people," the presidency said.

According to the presidency, Aoun also denounced "the involvement of certain groups in a sabotage plot that the Emirates announced they thwarted today."

This statement comes after Emirati authorities announced the dismantling of a "terrorist network" financed and operated by Hezbollah and its sponsor, Iran. Hezbollah has categorically denied any involvement and described the accusations as "fabricated."

Outspoken Shiite clerics against the West

Ali al-Khatib, vice president of the Higher Shiite Islamic Council and known to be close to Hezbollah, lamented that "the Lebanese government is carrying out an American operations order, day by day abandoning Lebanon's interests in favor of the enemy," considering that the initiatives put forward by the authorities "are in fact nothing more than the implementation of American directives."

He also reaffirmed that "resistance in all its forms is a legitimate right for any people to liberate their occupied territory."

"In the face of aggression and occupation, resistance in all its forms is a legitimate right for any people and constitutes the strategic choice to confront the enemy," he said.

A similar message came from Jaafari Mufti Ahmad Kabalan, who is also close to the pro-Iranian militia party, denouncing "a fragile state, an empty authority and a paralyzed capacity," warning against "loud positions that risk dragging the country into unprecedented discord."

According to him, "the time is for national responsibility, no cause is higher than Lebanon's interests, and there is no greater enemy than Israel and corrupt power." He also accused Western powers of pursuing policies aimed at "plundering or destroying the Middle East."

Druze Sheikh Akl and the central role of the state

By contrast, Druze Sheikh Akl Sami Abi al-Mona called for national solidarity, saying that "there is no salvation in the face of adversity without national solidarity and without restoring shaken confidence."

He emphasized the central role of the state, noting that "victory for the homeland does not come from circumventing its will" but from "supporting the army and the institutions."

The cleric added that he stands with "the state, which has begun taking early steps in multiple areas to correct a course that, had it continued, would have led to total collapse."

The head of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, accused Hezbollah of having "turned the month of Ramadan ... into a month of displacement and suffering, imposing on the Lebanese a harsh reality that contradicts the values of this holy month" after the rocket attacks of March 2.

He expressed hope that "this will be the last time we are forced to celebrate our holidays amid wars, chaos and destruction," while stating that this celebration should mark "the effective beginning of the building of a state with a monopoly on arms."

Another Christian voice, Kataeb party leader Samy Gemayel, called for "making this holiday a moment to embrace life and save our country before it is too late."

For the occasion, "we pray for wounded Lebanon and for the thousands of families paying the price for wars in which they have neither decision nor interest," he said, affirming that "solidarity today is not measured in words, but in a clear position: enough of making Lebanon a playground for other people's conflicts." He pleaded for "a single authority, a single state and a single weapon" in order to "protect the future of the country."