On Tuesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun took to the podium at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York to highlight continued Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty, in a plea for respect to human rights, peace, and development.
“I stand before you speaking of peace, development and human rights, at a time when some of my fellow citizens are facing death, parts of my country are under occupation, and my homeland and my people live in uncertainty,” Aoun said.
He called on a complete halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces still occupying parts of Southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement signed on November of last year.
He reiterated the state’s commitment to fully monopolize arms possession in light of the ongoing plans for disarming Hezbollah and armed factions across the country.
He highlighted that the underlying causes of the war on Lebanon and the “insidious motivations” behind it have been aimed at destroying the country’s unique model of plurality and freedom.
Aoun also urged the UN General Assembly to carry out its “moral, human and political obligation” and call for an end to the war on Gaza, one of the “deep underlying causes” of the crises in Lebanon.
Aoun also discussed the Syrian displacement crisis in Lebanon, and pinpointed work with Syria and Saudi Arabia to ensure a “dignified and safe return of displaced Syrian citizens” and “the restoration of the special relations between Lebanon and Syria”.
He highlighted the need for the reconstruction of infrastructure in southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese military to be given the means to defend and safeguard national integrity, putting his hopes on international conferences dedicated to that purpose.
Aoun also thanked the Security Council for renewing the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
“We, in Lebanon, have made our choice. We choose to be a land of life and joy and we shall abide by it. I call upon you all, for the sake of peace in our region, for the good of humanity, stand with us, don’t abandon Lebanon,” affirmed Aoun.
The speech was received with mixed emotions by Lebanese population, some praising the president for his address, while others criticizing it as ineffectual.
Lebanon continues to face a number of arduous challenges, as it deals with recurrent Israeli attacks that continue to kill civilians across the country, particularly in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa governorate, the issue of arms possession, and the issue of fiscal and economic rejuvenation, as well as poorest population groups’ access to basic needs.
