اخبار لبنان – وطن نيوز
اخبار لبنان 24 – اخبار لبنان مباشر
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-07-03 06:16:00
President Fouad Siniora wrote in “Al-Liwaa”: First of all, I must confirm my firm stand behind the Lebanese state with all its military and security institutions and apparatuses, and in particular, in its decision to negotiate directly with Israel on its own behalf, as a sovereign, free and independent state, and a founding and active member of the United Nations. This is based on its tireless endeavor to end the brutal war, which Lebanon did not declare, did not participate in, and was forcibly drawn into, and thus in order to oblige Israel to withdraw completely from the occupied Lebanese territories, liberate the land, achieve sovereignty and independence, and reject hegemony over Lebanon of any kind or party. Also, in order to ensure the dignified return of the displaced Lebanese to their homes and lands, and to support the Lebanese state’s keenness to separate Lebanon’s negotiating path from the path taken by Iran in its direct negotiations with the United States of America (the Great Satan, as Iran calls it). On another level, I must mention that Lebanon has become in the midst of extremely delicate, difficult and dangerous circumstances, due to the continuation of the destructive Israeli war of aggression and the expansion of the scope of the Israeli occupation of large parts of Lebanon. And also because of the growing Iranian hegemony exercised over Lebanon through Hezbollah, which involved Lebanon in multiple wars with Israel, the last of which were the wars of occupancy and support, and revenge for the killing of Imam Khamenei, and the wars and confrontations that preceded and followed that Lebanon did not want, was not consulted about, and was not able to fight or bear the consequences of. Therefore, Lebanon has become forced to engage in direct negotiations with Israel in order to get out of these dangerous impasses that it has become embroiled in, with the aim of quickly saving the Lebanese people from these disasters and scourges, and thus reaching the approval of a framework for stopping hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, and the full implementation of Resolution 1701, in preparation for reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive peace on the basis of the Arab Peace Initiative that was approved at the Beirut Arab Summit of 2002. As for the negotiations, Direct relations between Lebanon and Israel. It should be noted that Lebanon, on the one hand, and from its sovereign position as a sovereign, free, and independent state, had signed an agreement with the State of Israel, under the auspices of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, to demarcate the borders of Lebanon’s exclusive economic zone on October 12, 2022, after long years of procrastination filled with sterile political wrangling and false accusations launched by Lebanese parties and groups. In particular, which cost Lebanon economic opportunities that could have been seized. Also, on the other hand, Lebanon had reached the signing of a framework of new understandings on 11/27/2024 between Israel and Lebanon after the war of support regarding how to implement International Resolution No. 1701, with the matters that those understandings contained related to Israel’s right to defend itself, as it believes, and these are understandings that Lebanon would not have been forced to have had it not been for the entanglement that led Lebanon into its traps. This is what prompts me to point out again, It is necessary to recognize and acknowledge that Lebanon has missed many opportunities that were made available to it since 2006, and which would have been in its favor had the international resolutions related to Lebanon been implemented. In particular, with regard to the necessity of strict adherence to the implementation of Resolution 1701, an application that could have spared Lebanon from many of the disasters and woes that befell Lebanon after the entry into force of that resolution. This could have contributed to strengthening Lebanon’s credibility before the Arab and international communities. On the contrary, Hezbollah’s violation of what it had agreed to, and thus its failure to implement all the provisions of this international resolution, a violation that was accompanied, at the same time, by Israel’s violation and non-commitment to implementing this resolution, which led these two parties to direct blame at each other. However, in the end, it is what contributed to the subsequent disasters that befell Lebanon, as well as negatively affecting Lebanon’s credibility with its children, brothers, and friends in the world as a result of its failure to implement international resolutions related to Lebanon. Hezbollah has deliberately involved Lebanon once again in the new wars that have ravaged the region, extending since October 8, 2023, and which have led to the fall of this large number of victims and martyrs. The Lebanese people, and until the destruction and bulldozing of a large number of villages and cities in the south and other large areas of Lebanon, and until Lebanon and the Lebanese suffer heavy consequences and losses, of all kinds, and where a large number of Lebanese citizens have been displaced, and where the number of those displaced from their destroyed villages and cities exceeded one million and two hundred thousand Lebanese. In the midst of this ordeal, it is worth noting the important decisions taken by the Lebanese government during the last twelve months regarding… Its emphasis on extending its authority over the entire Lebanese territory through its own forces, on the exclusivity of the decision of war and peace, on the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the Lebanese state, and also on the restriction of the right to negotiate on behalf of Lebanon in the hands of the Lebanese state. Also, regarding the government’s decision to separate Lebanon’s negotiating file from the Iran file, which is a set of sovereign decisions that contribute to confirming the independence of the Lebanese decision, and which Lebanon has always sought to achieve. These extremely difficult circumstances and situations in which Lebanon was thrust, dictated that Lebanon enter into direct negotiations with Israel, leading to concluding such a framework. This framework that Lebanon reached with Israel constitutes, on the one hand, an advanced and good step, as it allows Lebanon, when fully achieved, the possibility Ending a period of severe and long suffering, during which many shocks, military invasions, collapses, and instability prevailed in Lebanon. In addition, it provides Lebanon with a good opportunity to restore the Lebanese state to its role and its exclusive authority over its free decision, and over all its lands and facilities. However, in this regard, and on the other hand, this framework contains some loopholes, shortcomings, and gaps that should have been taken into account during the conduct of these negotiations. This framework must include in its texts, sufficiently, what contributes to clarifying and emphasizing Lebanon’s basic sovereign issues, and what has become a potential violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence. This is in addition to the need to address the lack of binding timetables in some provisions of this framework, and the fact that verification mechanisms are placed in the hands of Israel and the United States without a decisive opinion from the Lebanese state. This is in addition to the fact that it makes some transitional arrangements that may turn into semi-permanent situations, in which Lebanon may become a prisoner of the continued Israeli occupation of its lands and with its consent, especially in the midst of the repercussions that may result from the rapid transformations and changes in the nature and intensity of the international and regional conflicts that are ravaging the region. What must be addressed in this context, and not limited to, is that it never included the word ceasefire or the word withdrawal in its texts. Clearly, away from ambiguity, explanations and interpretations, especially after its first paragraph referred to “the necessity of building on a set of successful agreements and understandings.” The texts of this tripartite framework must include references to international legitimacy resolutions such as the Armistice Agreement of 1949, given that this agreement constitutes one of the foundations upon which Lebanon’s international and internationally recognized borders are based, in addition to the fact that it forms an integral part of the Taif Agreement, which has become one of the components of the Lebanese constitution. As well as the reference to the Blue Line based on the international borders of Lebanon in 1923, and also the reference to International Resolution 1559 and International Resolution 1701, which stress Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the South Litani area and Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. Also, this framework links everything related to the redeployment of Israeli military forces and the return of displaced Lebanese to harsh conditions and security tasks, all of which may not be achieved with the required speed, and without linking all of that. With a specific time program, which Israel is supposed to respect and adhere to in order to achieve complete withdrawal from Lebanon. This also applies to what was stated in the thirteenth paragraph of this framework, according to which Lebanon pledges to stop any measures in “international political or legal forums” against Israel. Thus, Lebanon has become obligated to stop all efforts that were made in the past, or that Lebanon may consider taking in the future, to demand compensation or hold Israel accountable for the crimes it committed in and against Lebanon, or to take any other legal action against Israel. In this way, it appears as if Lebanon is giving Israel a certificate of acquittal in exchange for non-binding promises of conditional withdrawal. These basic issues and gaps must be addressed because they, in fact, entail large, numerous and sensitive positions and commitments on Lebanon. Therefore, there is a necessity to work to evacuate it and strive diligently to enable the Lebanese state to achieve its established and established rights to achieve Israel’s complete withdrawal from the lands it occupies from Lebanon, to restore the Lebanese state’s sovereignty over its entire territory, and to ensure that there is no military or security organization outside the framework of the legitimate military and security forces of the Lebanese state anywhere in Lebanon. Likewise, therefore, the emphasis on the exclusivity of weapons on the one hand, and the Lebanese state’s possession of the principle of exclusivity in the decision of war and peace on the other hand. Likewise, not relying on the statements of some Israeli officials that Israel has no regional ambitions in Lebanon. The glaring truth is that Lebanon is now between the Israeli hammer and the Iranian anvil, and therefore it is bearing the unbearable. It is true that it is good to adhere to the separation of the Lebanon file from the Iranian negotiating file, but also for this to be done in parallel with working to correct the gaps contained in the texts of the framework that was signed. At the same time, it has become necessary to continue making serious efforts to enable Lebanon to restore its rights and clarify its full national position towards its children, brothers and friends in the world. Therefore, I suggest that work be taken to address the defects present in the texts of this framework that bind Lebanon to harsh conditions that Lebanon may not be able to bear. Also, this framework is still in the preliminary stage, which may lead to in-depth negotiations. Later, which may lead to the conclusion of agreements, the matter requires strengthening and arming the negotiating delegation with those with diplomatic, political and strategic experience, especially those with deep experience in international negotiations, in the work of the United Nations General Assembly, and the work of the UN Security Council, especially since there will be deep and long disputes over every detail and point. This is what countries follow when conducting their international negotiations, especially with a fierce and quarrelsome enemy like Israel, from whom we have seen nothing but evasion, evasion, and a reversal of all international understandings, agreements, and resolutions. In conclusion, it is important for all Lebanese to realize the extent of the great dangers that have now beset Lebanon, its independence, sovereignty, and civil peace, and negatively affect the cohesion and solidarity of all Lebanese with each other in order to cooperate. Together to save Lebanon through its ability to confront these dangerous crises that have now surrounded Lebanon and the Lebanese from every side. It has become clear that there is no one who can save Lebanon and the Lebanese of all groups and regions except everyone’s acknowledgment of the necessity of returning to the Lebanese state, and its fair and equal conditions for everyone and for the benefit of everyone. It is the only one capable of restoring the confidence of the Lebanese, brothers and friends alike, in Lebanon and its institutions. It is the only one capable of bringing the Lebanese together on the principles of firmness, wisdom and sophistication. It is the only one that can embrace everyone and be the unifying, protecting and preserving body for them. It should also be fair to them, with them, and among themselves. It is the only one that can ensure the dignified return of all displaced people to their areas and homes. It is the only one capable of gathering Lebanon’s friends around the world in order to save Lebanon, and to ensure that all of our Arab brothers stand up to support and save Lebanon. It is the only one that can secure the necessary funding to reconstruct the destroyed and damaged areas throughout Lebanon, which were destroyed by the Israeli enemy, and to enable everyone to truly contribute and actively participate in the efforts to restore Lebanon’s rise, brilliance and prosperity. The unity of the Lebanese has always been the true and most prominent weapon that Lebanon has, and there is no other way but for the Lebanese state to restore its full and exclusive authority over all its lands and facilities, and where it is not contested by any other authority or force, and from any other. Whatever type or nature. It is the only one capable of working for everyone to return to respecting the constitution and respecting the Taif Agreement with all its provisions, and ensuring their proper implementation, as well as the completion of their implementation. The state is a refuge, and we, the Lebanese, after God, have no refuge other than it. Let us all be with the state and the state will remain for us and with us.
