Lebanese factions revive bid to fill presidency as Israel attacks

BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday said that Lebanon would not become a launchpad for attacks against other countries, particularly Arab states.

During his address to a delegation of Arab diplomats, he said: “Regional developments do not only impact the Palestinian people but extend to all Arab countries, including Lebanon.” He emphasized that current challenges require a unified Arab response.

Invoking historical ties, Aoun referenced Saudi Arabia’s founder Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman’s description of Lebanon as “the Arabs’ balcony.”

Sources at the presidential palace indicate that Aoun’s first foreign visit as president will most likely be to Saudi Arabia, pending the new government’s confirmation by parliament next week.

Addressing recent domestic tensions, Aoun said that recent events have affected all Lebanese citizens and emphasized state supremacy in protecting all religious communities. “The state protects all sects, not vice versa,” he said.

Regarding Hezbollah’s protests on the airport road and the road blockages in protest against the banning of an Iranian plane from landing at Beirut International Airport last week against the backdrop of Israeli threats, Aoun said:  “We support the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression. However, the events we witnessed a few days ago, including road blockages and attacks on the army and citizens, are unacceptable and must not be repeated.

“The events in the south had a significant negative impact on all of Lebanon. We reject the claims of a siege on Lebanon’s Shiite community, as these allegations are baseless. We are an integral part of one body and one environment. We have all paid the price of the war and now face challenges together. Ensuring trust among all Lebanese citizens is the foundation of our work,” Aoun added.

The president also previously met with a delegation from the Press Club, where he expressed his refusal of any party attempting to “exploit foreign influence for political gain.”

The day after the incomplete Israeli withdrawal from the south, there were reports of incidents that led to casualties. In one, an Israeli warplane struck a car in the border town of Aita al-Shaab, killing Youssef Mohammed Srour, the son of the town’s mayor, and seriously injuring his wife.

Additionally, Israeli forces in positions overlooking the area opened fire on a man on the banks of the Wazzani river. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the man and another person were injured in the attack.

The influx of residents into the villages from which Israeli forces have withdrawn continued, allowing them to inspect their properties under the watchful gaze of the Israeli troops still stationed on five commanding hills.

Al-Manar TV channel, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, reported “the discovery of camouflaged Israeli espionage devices that were planted by the Israeli army in the neighborhoods of border towns prior to their withdrawal.”
Returnees to their towns described the devastation as resembling “the scene in the Gaza Strip.”

As the search for the bodies of missing people continued in the rubble of homes and structures, estimated to number in the dozens, those who returned displayed photographs of loved ones who have yet to be found.

Um Mohammed, from the town of Mays al-Jabal, which lost 100 of its young men, said: “There is not a single stone left upon another in the town. Every neighborhood has been leveled to the ground, and the landmarks of the town have changed to the point where we can no longer recognize our homes or find our way back to them. It is impossible to remain in the town; I will return to the apartment I rented in Tyre. I had thought that living there would be temporary, but it seems that my stay will be much longer than anticipated.”

Other families preferred to remain close to their homes despite the damage.

One woman, while playing with her granddaughter, said: “Daddy has gone to heaven,” in response to persistent inquiries from the child, Tima, about her father and whether it was possible to “contact heaven so he could come and embrace her for a moment.”

“In every home there is tragedy, sadness and frustration,” said Fatima, who is from Shaqra and lives in the southern suburbs of Beirut. “Those who talk about victory and liberation try to convince themselves that the price they paid was worth the sacrifice. But all the people are hurt and frustrated. They got the land back but they lost their souls.”