Newsletters
Lebanon will continue political and diplomatic efforts to secure a complete Israeli withdrawal from its territory, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Wednesday during a visit to the southern village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya, where the Lebanese army recently deployed.
Salam described the start of the Israeli withdrawal as a nationally significant moment but said it represented only the beginning of the process.
“From the outset, we have affirmed that our goal is the complete Israeli withdrawal from all our lands,” Salam said. “What we are witnessing today is merely a beginning, but we are determined and steadfast.”
Zawtar al-Gharbiya is one of several pilot zones intended to demonstrate that the Lebanese army can remove and disarm Hezbollah under a Washington-sponsored agreement with Israel.
Salam said Beirut would mobilize all available political and diplomatic efforts to secure Israel’s withdrawal from every part of Lebanese territory.
“We will continue mobilizing our political and diplomatic efforts to secure a complete Israeli withdrawal from the south,” he said.
Addressing Lebanese citizens, particularly residents of the south, Salam said the withdrawal carried significant political and moral importance because it marked the beginning of Israel’s departure from Lebanese land.
Salam said the Lebanese state had begun mobilizing its resources to support the return of displaced residents to their towns and villages.
The Lebanese army and security forces are present to protect returning residents, he said.
As the army completes its deployment, authorities will continue reopening roads, removing rubble and restoring essential services so residents can return safely and with dignity.
“We are here to affirm that we have begun mobilizing all the capabilities of the state to accompany your return,” Salam said.
Salam said preparations had begun to restore water, electricity and communications services in southern Lebanon.
The government is also working to provide ready housing and other assistance needed during the transitional period.
“The return of life to the South is not just a slogan, but a national goal to which the state is committed,” Salam said.
He added that the return of residents to their land represented “the truest expression of Lebanon’s unity and sovereignty.”
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
