In Belgrade, Menassah calls to pressure Israel to uphold its commitments

Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassah on Tuesday called on the international community to "pressure Israel to uphold its commitments," saying that this would allow Lebanese institutions to "resume their role and enable the army to deploy along the internationally recognized borders to establish stability and restore peace."

Menassah was speaking at the commemorative summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, held over two days, on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, in Belgrade to mark the 65th anniversary of the movement's first conference, which took place in 1961 in the Serbian capital. At the time, the movement rejected allegiance to either of the two major blocs of the Cold War: the West, led by the United States, and the communist world, led by the USSR. Lebanon, one of its founding countries, is participating in the meeting alongside around thirty other states.

In his speech, the minister described the "dramatic" situation in Lebanon following the outbreak, on March 2, of the new war between Israel and Hezbollah: nearly 4,500 people killed, more than 12,500 wounded, and over 60,000 homes destroyed, he said. He also accused Israel of targeting public institutions, notably the Lebanese Army, as well as entire towns and villages.

Without directly mentioning the stalled negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, or the framework agreement signed in June in Washington, Menassah referred to the commitments stipulated by that text, which provides for a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon, followed by a deployment of the Lebanese Army. So far, only one of the “pilot zones” provided for in the agreement has been vacated by Israel.

The minister also said Lebanon is going through a “very delicate phase” and is seeking to "regain its national decision-making," notably by ensuring the official institutions' monopoly over weapons. The aim, according to him, is to "close the chapter on wars and divisions."

Since Aoun's election as president and the formation of Nawaf Salam's government in early 2025, Lebanese authorities have signaled their intention to extend the state's monopoly on arms and to disarm armed groups, Hezbollah foremost among them. However, this move faces opposition from Hezbollah, while the resumption of hostilities in March, in the context of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, plunged Lebanon once again into a all-out state of war.

À Belgrade, Menassa appelle à faire pression sur Israël pour qu’il respecte ses engagements