Prime Minister Nawaf Salam speaking at the Baabda Palace, January 14, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L’Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — Prime Minister Nawaf Salam issued a statement on his X account on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the Resistance and Liberation Day, which marks Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon on May 25, 2000, saying that Lebanon will only truly be able to celebrate the day when Israeli forces withdraw from areas they occupy in the South since the resumption of the war with Hezbollah.
"Let’s make this year’s occasion of the 'Resistance and Liberation Day' a day of solidarity with the families of the martyrs, the wounded, the prisoners and the displaced, as well as with our resilient people in the South and the front-line villages. As for the celebration, we will only regain it on the day of Israel’s complete withdrawal from our land and the return of our people to it in safety and dignity," Salam said.
The Israeli army has killed more than 3,100 people and destroyed numerous villages in south Lebanon, where it is seeking to establish a de facto buffer zone.
Although Lebanon and Israel do not maintain diplomatic relations, the two sides began negotiations in April under U.S. mediation to find an exit from the war.
Despite a cease-fire declared on April 17, Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue daily, with Israel accusing Hezbollah of violating the cease-fire, while Hezbollah says it continues daily operations against Israeli soldiers inside Lebanese territory.
A new round of talks is scheduled in Washington on June 2 - 3, preceded by a meeting of military representatives from both countries at the Pentagon on May 29.
