Assistant on the anniversary of the assassination of Bashir Gemayel: Lebanon in its entirety is the final homeland for all its sons
Beirut – Mansour Shaaban: Today, Monday, marks the 44th anniversary of the assassination of the elected Lebanese President, Bachir Gemayel, in a bombing of the headquarters of the Kataeb Party in 1982 during a leadership meeting amid the Israeli invasion and occupation of Beirut.
On this occasion, President Joseph Aoun stated that the late president embodied, through his stances and struggle, a firm belief in Lebanon as a single entity, encompassing both land and people. He expressed this belief through his immortal slogan, “Lebanon 10,452 square kilometers,” which encapsulated an inclusive national philosophy affirming that Lebanon, in its entirety of geography and area, is a permanent homeland for all its citizens, indivisible and undiminished, with no room for division, partition, or erasure.
He emphasized that “his message remains present in our national journey, and adhering to the unity of land, people, and institutions is the best tribute to the blood of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Lebanon. As we commemorate this anniversary, we renew our pledge to work toward completing the construction of a strong, just state—the state that alone guarantees the independence of its decision-making, its full sovereignty over all its territories, and the dignity of its citizens, befitting the sacrifices of the martyred president and his companions. Glory and eternity to the martyrs of Lebanon, and to Lebanon always belong honor and dignity.”
For his part, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rai, in his sermon delivered from his summer residence in Deir el-Qamar, stated that protecting the South is not achieved through slogans, but through the establishment of a state that fully assumes its responsibilities toward the land and the people. “Restricting weapons to the state is not a matter of one faction overpowering another, nor a confrontation with a sect or group, but rather the consolidation of a single national authority and the state’s right to be the sovereign decision-maker responsible for protecting all its citizens. A state cannot function with two authorities, nor can sovereignty be preserved with multiple referents. Lebanon cannot demand respect for its sovereignty if that sovereignty is not complete domestically. As for negotiations, they must move from the stage of contacts and mediation to a clear path with defined objectives, leading to tangible results on the ground: halting attacks, achieving withdrawals, and consolidating stability under serious guarantees that preserve Lebanese sovereignty and prevent the recurrence of escalation. Negotiations must not become an open-ended process without a horizon; rather, they must serve as a means to achieve a clear solution that safeguards Lebanon’s rights and puts an end to the state of instability.”
For his part, Metropolitan Elias Khoury, Metropolitan of Beirut and its Dependencies for the Greek Orthodox Church, focused in his Sunday sermon on the plight of the Lebanese citizen, stating that he “is no longer able to secure a decent life due to economic hardship and exorbitant prices. Fuel prices are high,” adding, “The state cannot remain a project deferred until all conflicts and wars are resolved. Governance is about vision, planning, decision-making, and implementation. Decisions alone are not enough.”
For his part, MP Fouad Mazrouei commented on the armed clashes between youths in the Bourj Abi Haydar neighborhood of Beirut, stating, “Beirut must be free of weapons in all its districts, without any exception. Our capital belongs to the state and the rule of law, not to weapons and chaos.”
In reactions to President Aoun’s inspection visit to Nabatieh and Western Zouitar, MP Ashraf Rifi stated in a press release: “This sends a clear message that the state is present in the South, and the Lebanese Army is there to protect our people and safeguard sovereignty. The President’s standing by the people of Nabatieh in these difficult circumstances is a responsible national stance.”
On the ground, the Israeli army continued its military operations with continuous shelling of all targeted areas, carrying out a major explosion in Al-Tayri, and focusing on the Harj Ali Al-Taher area on the outskirts of Upper Nabatieh, relying on air force support. It repeated its airstrikes in quick succession on the vicinity of Al-Dabsha Hill on the outskirts of Upper Nabatieh and Kafr Tbnine, and shelled the town of Eastern Zouitar with artillery.
