Lebanese Prime Minister: We want the south, as all of Lebanon, to be under the authority of a single state
- Strengthening the army is, for our government, a strategic choice at the core of our project to restore the state.
- Peace to the military personnel in Sidon: Your deployment in the south is a state presence and a restoration of its sovereignty and prestige.
Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam stated, “We want this south, as well as all of Lebanon, to be under the authority of a single state; that the Lebanese citizen there feels secure because he has an army to protect him; and that the country enjoys stability alongside the restoration of the state and its constitutional institutions’ authority over war and peace,” during his visit to the Benoit Barakat Barracks as part of a tour of the southern city of Sidon, according to the National News Agency.
Salam added, addressing the military personnel: “The meaning of your presence here today in the south is not merely a military deployment; it is a state presence. Every site where the army is deployed is a site where the state reclaims its sovereignty, authority, and prestige. And every Lebanese flag raised above any army site is a symbol of the state’s legitimacy.”
He continued, addressing army officers: “I recognize the magnitude of the challenges you face, as well as the burdens you bear, amid ongoing Israeli aggression that threatens our cities, villages, our people’s homes, fields, and olive groves. But I also know that sovereignty can only be restored by building a capable state; and a state cannot be capable without a single, strong army.”
Salam pointed out that “working to strengthen the army is not a secondary item in our government’s program, nor is it a technical matter; rather, it is a strategic choice at the core of our project to restore the state. Hence, our government continues to work, through mobilizing all possible Arab and international support, to develop the army’s human capabilities, modernize its equipment, and improve the living and social conditions of its members. However, the strength of the Lebanese Army does not rest solely on its weapons, arsenal, and manpower; it also lies in its unity.”
He continued, addressing the military personnel: “Preserve the unity of your institution. Do not allow political whims to divide you, do not allow the evils of sectarianism to infiltrate your ranks, and accept only the Constitution and the law as your reference. Lebanese people may differ, and they indeed differ in politics, which is legitimate. They hold multiple sectarian and religious affiliations, whether we like it or not. But if they wish to succeed in extracting the country from its quagmire and saving their homeland, they have no choice but to have one army, one flag, and one state.”
In conclusion, Salam addressed the residents of the south, saying: “Be assured that your state continues to work around the clock and will spare no effort to achieve the complete Israeli withdrawal from our territories, the release of all our prisoners, and the return of our people in safety and dignity to their cities and villages, along with their reconstruction. This is your right upon us, and this is our pledge to you.”
