President Joseph Aoun renewed on Sunday his full commitment to ensuring that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese state and that the Lebanese army extends its authority across the entire country. He rejected any attempt to use southern Lebanon as a “bargaining chip,” as Hezbollah continues to challenge the state’s approach to the issue of weapons and the south. Hezbollah maintains that steadfastness, despite losses and sacrifices, constitutes a victory in its confrontation with Israel. Weapons Must Remain in State Hands President Joseph Aoun said on the 48th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his two companions that the case remains an “open national and humanitarian issue,” stressing that the state would continue to seek the truth about their fate and pursue the matter at both the bilateral and international levels. Aoun recalled al-Sadr’s positions on southern Lebanon, saying he had “rejected allowing the south to remain a forgotten area or a bargaining chip”. He also called for the state to assume full responsibility for the south and emphasized that weapons and security should remain under state authority. The President said Lebanon, amid continued Israeli attacks and violations of the cessation of hostilities, “reaffirms its full commitment to ensuring that legitimate weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese state and to extending the authority of the Lebanese army across all Lebanese territory,” in implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and to safeguard Lebanon’s full sovereignty. Ministerial Sources: Qassem’s Rhetoric is Part of Hezbollah’s Approach Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterated the group’s commitment to confronting Israel through steadfastness, saying that heavy sacrifices and significant loss of life did not amount to defeat. Ministerial sources close to the presidency said Qassem’s remarks were not new but rather part of the approach Hezbollah has been pursuing. The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that while Qassem’s remarks on Monday were “not related to the president’s statements,” they reflected “the narrative adopted by Hezbollah officials” and represented a practical rejection of the dialogue proposed by Aoun, as well as initiatives launched by several parties.
