Latest news with #Resolution1701
Al Manar
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Manar
One Civilian Martyred in Israeli Drone Attack on Nabatieh Al-Fawka, South Lebanon
The Israeli occupation army continues to breach Lebanese sovereignty and violate the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, as well as United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. In the latest development, Al-Manar correspondent reported that an Israeli drone targeted the eastern outskirts of Nabatieh Al-Fawqa with a missile. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health Emergency Operations Center announced on Thursday that an Israeli drone strike on the Ali Al-Taher Forest area in Nabatieh Al-Fawqa resulted in the martyrdom of a civilian.
Al Manar
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Aoun, Abbas Discuss Latest Developments at Baabda Palace
President Joseph Aoun met on Wednesday at Baabda Palace with the Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas who started a three-day official visit to Lebanon. After the meeting, the two presidents issued the following joint statement: – The two sides affirm the fraternal relations between the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples and their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and coordination at various levels. 2. Both sides reaffirm the need to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region enabling the Palestinian people to establish their independent state, in accordance with relevant international legitimacy resolutions. This also grants all countries and peoples in the region their legitimate and just rights. – The two sides condemn the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in heavy human losses and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. They call on the international community to take immediate and serious action to halt it and ensure full protection of Palestinian civilians. – The two sides emphasize the need to reinforce the role of the United Nations and its institutions in providing protection to the Palestinian people, ensuring respect for international law, and implementing international legitimacy resolutions. – Both sides condemn the repeated Israeli aggressions on Lebanon and call on the international community, particularly the United States and France, to pressure Israel to implement the agreement reached under the auspices of the two countries in November 2024, regarding the cessation of hostilities, withdrawal from the hills occupied by Israel, and the return of Lebanese prisoners, in order to enable the Lebanese Army to complete its deployment to the internationally recognized borders, in implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, whose provisions Lebanon has pledged to fully respect.
The National
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
The US needs to stop undermining Lebanon's credibility
The Trump administration's approach to Lebanon remains a mystery. It's not so much that US officials haven't articulated the outcomes they would like to see in the country, but rather they do not seem to be doing much to achieve them. Worse, their actions are discrediting a president and government eager to collaborate with Washington. What were the main aims of the US envoy Amos Hochstein, who came to Beirut last year to finalise a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel? It was to implement an expanded version of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which imposed, among other things, Hezbollah's disarmament south of the Litani River (as well as a disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, in line with Resolution 1559). Mr Hochstein strengthened the implementation mechanism of Resolution 1701 by giving Israel a side letter allowing it to target Hezbollah's weapons even after the ceasefire was implemented if the Lebanese failed to end any violations. Politically, his aim was to subsequently sponsor talks between Lebanon and Israel on delineating their land border, resolving outstanding disagreements over border points and, therefore, removing any justification for Hezbollah to retain its weapons. Most importantly, the ceasefire agreement introduced a mechanism to end Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory in a period that 'should not exceed 60 days'. This deadline ended in January. However, the Israelis insisted on remaining in five Lebanese hills along the border, because they did not want Hezbollah to plant its flags there and dissuade Israeli inhabitants of the north from returning to their homes. The Trump administration went along with this, and there are no indications of when, or even if, the Israelis will fully pull their forces out of Lebanon. Since then, the Lebanese army has continued to remove arms south of the Litani, but there has been no progress on Lebanon's demands: a full Israeli withdrawal; the return of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel; and demarcation of the Lebanon-Israel land border. In March, there was a report that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to establish working groups to address the three outstanding issues. However, this was incorrect. The Lebanese do not want to establish working groups because it could create a semblance of normalisation with Israel they want to avoid, and Lebanon neither holds Israeli prisoners nor occupies Israeli land, making committees for these matters unnecessary. Instead, the Lebanese prefer to operate in the framework of a military technical committee, similar to the one involved in delineating the maritime border with Israel in 2022. The position of the Trump administration in this regard appears to be unclear. While the Americans would like to see the Lebanese talk to the Israelis, on her last visit to Beirut in April the US envoy Morgan Ortagus did not raise the issue of the three committees, only negotiations in general. According to news reports, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam proposed that Ms Ortagus resume the shuttle diplomacy of her predecessor, Mr Hochstein. While the accounts were that she had reacted positively to the proposal, nothing since then has indicated that she intends to act on it. This makes the Lebanese feel they are in limbo. No less disconcerting to them is that the monitoring committee established by the ceasefire agreement has done nothing to curtail repeated Israeli violations of the agreement. Indeed, the Lebanese were frustrated with the long absences of the US general heading the committee, Jasper Jeffers. When he finally arrived in Beirut in April, it was only to introduce his successor, General Michael Leeney, who, according to the US embassy in Beirut, will be 'a full-time senior US military leader in Beirut'. If this was a US concession to the Lebanese, it was hardly enough. The Israeli occupation is damaging the credibility of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Mr Salam, who have affirmed that Hezbollah must surrender its weapons and allow the Lebanese army to defend Lebanon's borders. Instead, Hezbollah officials have now made discussion of the party's arms conditional on an Israeli withdrawal. Nor is there any indication Ms Ortagus did much to advance matters while in Beirut. The US embassy posted on social media platform X that her discussions had been 'frank', appearing to suggest that the Americans had pressed the Lebanese to accelerate Hezbollah's disarmament. We appear to be in a stalemate where the Lebanese cannot advance on the party's weapons until Israel pulls its forces out of the south, while the US won't press Israel on a withdrawal until Hezbollah agrees to surrender its arms. More absurd, the Israelis have violated the ceasefire agreement negotiated by the US thanks to the US side letter allowing them to do so. In other words, Washington has put forth two incompatible agreements. If that's its strategy, it makes little sense. The US aim is, allegedly, to prop up the Lebanese state as a counterweight to Hezbollah so it can negotiate a surrender of the party's weapons. However, it is ludicrous to think this can be done by demonstrating how powerless the state is when facing Israel. Unless the Americans change direction, they will weaken the very people they seek to bolster against Hezbollah, which can only gain from this anomalous situation.
Nahar Net
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Fayad: We won't accept that our people be left unprotected
by Naharnet Newsdesk 7 hours Hezbollah MP Ali Fayad warned Monday that 'the military, political and financial pressures that Lebanon is facing are expected to escalate,' noting that some sides mistakenly think that 'their escalation will push the Lebanese people to surrender.' 'These are wrong calculations, because threats boost the Lebanese society's firmness and readiness to defend itself,' Fayad added. 'Hezbollah is showing full readiness for cooperation for the sake of a salvation course that leads to recovery, stability and reform, but it will strongly reject any attempt to impose political conditions that harm Lebanese sovereignty or aim to remove the right of the Lebanese to defend themselves,' the MP said. 'The complications of the current period necessitate further responsibility and firmness,' Fayad went on to say, calling for 'adhering to national unity.' He added: 'What increases the fears of the Lebanese is the fall of international guarantees, especially from the two countries sponsoring the implementation of Resolution 1701.' Accusing the U.S.-led ceasefire committee of 'full bias' in Israel's favor, Fayad said 'the gateway to stability and recovery in Lebanon begins by pressing Israel to withdraw from the five hills, halt hostilities, release the captives, respect Lebanese sovereignty and lift the obstacles in the way of reconstruction.' Moreover, Fayad said 'Hezbollah has positive intentions for cooperating with the government within the context of dialogue and understanding, with the aim of building state institutions and enabling them to perform their missions. But we will not accept or tolerate that some leave our people out in the open, without any protection, guarantees or capabilities.' 'Protecting the Lebanese people is the state's duty, as per its ministerial statement and presidential inauguration speech, and it needs to commit to its sovereign role in safeguarding national rights,' the lawmaker added.
Daily News Egypt
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Al-Sisi, Aoun call for Gaza ceasefire, regional stability, and Arab unity in Cairo talks
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun met in Cairo on Monday, where they jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, greater regional cooperation, and renewed Arab solidarity in the face of escalating tensions. President Al-Sisi emphasized Egypt's ongoing efforts to end the violence in Gaza and underscored both countries' firm rejection of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians or undermine their cause. He urged the international community to support the reconstruction of Gaza and enable the Palestinian Authority to return and govern the enclave. 'In our talks, we reviewed the latest developments in Gaza and reiterated the urgent need to halt the aggression, restore the ceasefire, and secure the release of all hostages and detainees,' Al-Sisi said at a joint press conference with President Aoun. 'We also stressed the necessity of expediting the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in desperate need.' He called for a unified global response to rebuild Gaza without displacement, empower the Palestinian Authority, and advance the recognition of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 'This path,' he stated, 'is the only way to secure lasting peace and stability in the region.' Aoun's visit came amid escalating instability in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon—issues that dominated the leaders' agenda. On Syria, Al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's support for the Syrian people and the importance of an inclusive political transition. He condemned Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty and reiterated the call for Israel's withdrawal from occupied Syrian territories. Turning to Egypt-Lebanon relations, Al-Sisi said the visit 'underscores the depth of our historical and strategic ties,' and highlighted discussions on expanding cooperation, particularly in trade and economic development. He reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting Lebanon's reconstruction and sovereignty, while rejecting ongoing Israeli violations. 'Egypt continues to work through regional and international channels to demand Israel's unconditional withdrawal from all Lebanese territories,' Al-Sisi said, emphasizing full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and strengthening the Lebanese army's presence south of the Litani River. President Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's dedication to a comprehensive and just peace, its commitment to Resolution 1701, and the role of UNIFIL peacekeepers. He called for a return to the 1949 Armistice Agreement and an end to Israeli hostilities. He urged the international community to ensure Israel complies with the U.S.-French mediated agreement from November 26, withdraws from all Lebanese territories, and releases all Lebanese detainees. On Syria, Aoun reiterated Lebanon's intention to maintain strong bilateral relations and address shared concerns, especially the refugee crisis. 'We agreed to establish joint committees to facilitate the safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees,' he said, while welcoming the recent easing of U.S. sanctions on Syria as a positive step toward regional recovery. Aoun also proposed the creation of an institutional framework for shared Arab interests, starting with bilateral cooperation and expanding into a regional common market. 'Such a vision depends on regional stability,' he said. 'And lasting stability can only be achieved through peace — a peace grounded in justice. That means recognizing the rights of all peoples. This was the essence of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, and it remains our guiding principle.' He concluded by expressing hope for a future in which a sovereign Palestinian state thrives, extremism and poverty are overcome, and the region achieves lasting development and prosperity.
