Lebanese President's message to Hezbollah: 'The only legitimate weapon is that of the state'
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun clarified that he opposes turning southern Lebanon into a lawless zone or a bargaining chip. Meanwhile, Beirut is waiting for Washington to set the date for the next round of negotiations with Israel. Lebanese sources denied reports of an imminent operation on the Ali al-Tahir ridge.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sent a message this morning, Sunday, to Hezbollah, stating during an event that he opposes turning the south of the country into a lawless zone or a bargaining chip.
According to him, "the only legitimate weapon for defending the land is that of the state." Aoun added at an event marking 48 years since the kidnapping of the Shiite-Lebanese Imam Musa al-Sadr that the government in Beirut will continue to demand the truth about his fate and the fate of his companions. Al-Sadr disappeared during his visit to Libya in 1978. According to several reports, he died in the late 90s in a prison of the Gaddafi regime.
Meanwhile, Lebanese sources told Arab media that the date for the eighth round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, planned for September, has not yet been set.
According to the sources, the party responsible for setting the date is the American side. They said that Beirut is waiting for Washington, which is working to ensure that the meetings in the upcoming round also lead to practical results and decisions, including regarding the pilot zones for the IDF withdrawal in southern Lebanon.
Those same sources denied reports of an imminent operation on the Ali al-Tahir ridge, where Hezbollah terrorists are entrenched. They claimed that IDF strikes in the area continue intermittently, while Israel demands the withdrawal of the terrorists.
