Aoun Calls on Lebanese Factions to Exercise Wisdom and Awareness to Spare Lebanon from Any Regional Turmoil

Beirut - Mansour Shaaban: President Joseph Aoun called on Lebanese factions to exercise awareness and wisdom to spare Lebanon any turbulence that the region might experience.

Speaking while chairing a cabinet meeting in Baabda yesterday, Aoun said, “The challenges facing the region are very great, and I hope its trajectory does not lead to escalation or explosion. I urge Lebanese factions to demonstrate wisdom, awareness, and foresight to shield Lebanon from the impact of these challenges, especially given that the country is already suffering from difficult economic repercussions. This requires all—ministers and political officials—to act with wisdom to spare Lebanon any turbulence that the region might experience.”

In a statement from the presidency, Aoun praised “the security apparatus and its efforts to maintain security in various areas and across all fronts, particularly in combating terrorism, drugs, arms smuggling, and crime, despite the pressing economic pressures.”

President Aoun also urged the Minister of Telecommunications to proceed with the “Lebanon Telecom” law to liberalize the telecommunications sector and make it more effective.

Also in Baabda, Aoun was briefed by Minister of Economy Dr. Amer Al-Bassit on the progress of the consumer protection law, which the President had returned to parliament for reconsideration, as well as on the outcomes of his visit to Bangkok. President Aoun also discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region, along with reactions to recent political developments, with Samy Gemayel, MP and head of the Kataeb Party. Gemayel affirmed during the meeting Aoun’s “support for the legitimacy of the state’s path to reclaiming sovereignty over every inch of its territory.”

Meanwhile, MP Melhem Khalaf warned in a statement of the “major risks” associated with the withdrawal of international forces (UNIFIL) and the lifting of the UN umbrella over Lebanon. He pointed out that “Resolution 2790 entails interconnected obligations, the most prominent of which is verifying the Israeli withdrawal and handing over UNIFIL positions to the Lebanese Army.” He asked, “How can the army take over 33 UNIFIL positions along the Blue Line while they remain under Israeli occupation?”

This came amid what could be described as a “storm” stirred up by the general amnesty law, which was the subject of discussion in the Constitutional Council during a visit by the Prosecutor General, Judge Ahmad Ramy Al-Hajj. Following a meeting with the President of the Constitutional Council, Judge Tannous Mashlab, Al-Hajj clarified in a joint press conference that the circular issued pertains to the implementation mechanism as agreed upon prior to the legal challenge, and that they are committed to institutional work with the Constitutional Council. He added that the circular aims to interpret certain ambiguous terms, and that the Council holds the authority to do so, with these interpretations aligning with the legislative text and not contradicting it.