Lebanese President: We want a state that monopolizes weapons and does not become hostage to militias
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Saturday (June 13th) that his country "faces a fateful entitlement to either unite its sons on a state that monopolizes weapons and protects the citizen regardless of his affiliation and location, or he remains hostage to the logic of the militias."
This came on the 48th anniversary of the assassination of former minister Tony Suleiman Frangieh and members of his family and comrades, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency, which quoted Aoun as saying , "Recalling the memory of this painful event makes it imperative for us to learn from the lessons of blood, which the years of peace did not teach us."
The Lebanese president added that this painful anniversary "is coming as Lebanon today stands in front of a fateful entitlement: either it unites its people on a sovereign state, which monopolizes arms, the rule of law, protects the citizen regardless of his affiliation and location, or he remains hostage to the logic of the militias (without naming them)."
Aoun said that his country "at a moment that cannot tolerate sectarian luxury or regional attraction , national unity today is not a slogan that is raised on occasions, but an existential necessity that is built with frankness, strengthened by justice, and rooted in fairness for all components of this people without exception."
He reiterated that he seeks a Lebanon "where its children live free and equal, united not only by geography but also by true citizenship and belonging to the state of right and law."
Israel warns of evacuation of 20 villages and towns in southern Lebanon in preparation for bombing
On Saturday , June 13, the Israeli army warned residents of 20 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate them immediately and head north of the Zahrani River in preparation for shelling them.
In a post on the "X" platform, army spokesman Avichai Adrei said that the army is warning the residents of 20 villages and towns in the governorates of Nabatieh and the south to evacuate them immediately and head to the north of the Zahrani River in preparation for attacking them.
Villages and towns include: Deir al-Zahrani, al-Numeiriya, al-Sharqiya, al-Dweir, Haruf, Haboush, Kafr Joz, Zabedin, Nabatieh al-Tahta, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Kafr Rumman, al-Mahmoudiya, Sajjd, Raihan and Armata, Kafarhouna, Malikh, al-Louwaiza, Jargoa and Arabsalim, warning that "anyone who is near Hizbullah elements, its facilities and means of combat is endangering their lives".
On Friday, "massive and unprecedented" explosions resounded in the skies over the southern Lebanese cities of Marjayoun and Nabatieh, due to "huge" bombings carried out by the Israeli army, according to the Lebanese News Agency.
Israel kills one person and blows up government institutions in southern Lebanon
On Saturday, the Israeli army killed a person in a raid on the town of Battle in the district of Tyre in southern Lebanon, and also blew up several houses and official institutions in the city of Bint Jbeil.
The official Lebanese News Agency reported that "an enemy march targeted a battle town with a raid, which led to the death of a martyr."
The agency added that "the Israeli occupation forces blew up houses and official institutions in the city of Bint Jbeil (south)," noting that "last night, hostile warplanes carried out 3 raids on the town of Deir al-Zahrani" in the Nabatieh district.
Aoun asks Hezbollah for written visions to resolve the southern crisis
Al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted a source close to Hizbullah and the Amal movement as saying that the Lebanese president asked Hizbullah to present a written and complete vision for resolving the crisis in the south, in preparation for presenting it to the government and discussing it officially.
The source told the Lebanese newspaper that this paper has become "necessary" to put notes on it and avoid circulating in the same circle without any real progress, noting that "there is no deadline yet for the next round of negotiations," while President Aoun continues to coordinate his steps with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri on the American proposal.
According to the source, Aoun is waiting to receive this written map from the party to determine the next political path, at a time when the timetable for negotiations is still undecided, despite Berri's rush to reach a comprehensive ceasefire that paves the way for discussing the subsequent files.
According to the source, Berri is pushing for a comprehensive ceasefire, but considers that the proposals that have been reached so far are "general" and lack clear implementation mechanisms, especially with regard to the experimental zones, which he refuses to witness a unilateral Israeli withdrawal.
The source predicted that progress will be made in the coming hours, in connection with the diplomatic movement in Islamabad, pointing out that Berri's initiative is based on a ceasefire first, and then putting the pending files on the negotiating table under an Arab-Iranian umbrella and under the auspices of the United States, with a pivotal role for both Saudi Arabia and Qatar.