Lebanese President Joseph Aoun pledged that the state would stand by the people of the south, stressing that “we will never leave you,” during a surprise visit to the city of Nabatieh, near the “Ali al-Taher” hill, which Israel blew up the day before yesterday. During which it became noticeable that Hezbollah was boycotting him, as none of its political representatives participated in receiving the President of the Republic.
This visit came the day after an American official announced that the next round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, sponsored by Washington, was postponed to next October after it was scheduled to take place next week in Rome. It also came days after a political and civil “call” launched by activists in the south, in which they called on the state to be present in Nabatieh, with the aim of protecting it from any Israeli plans.
Aoun made his unannounced visit to Nabatieh, accompanied by the Army Commander, General Rudolf Heikal, the leaders of the security services, the Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Raed Abdullah, the Director General of Public Security, Major General Hassan Shukair, and the Director General of State Security, Major General Edgar Lowndes. It was noteworthy that none of the politicians in the city received him except MP Nasser Jaber, a member of the “Development and Liberation” bloc headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Jaber hails from Nabatieh, but none of Hezbollah’s representatives or political figures were present at the reception. The visit had a popular character.
During the visit, Aoun expressed his solidarity with the residents of the region who welcomed him. He stressed that “the steadfastness of the people of the South in general, and Nabatieh in particular, is the greatest medal on our chest, and their survival despite the war is the greatest message to the world that this society and this people are capable of rising again and remaining standing forever.” While he hoped that the wound of the South would be sealed once for all, he stressed that “the son of the South has the right to live in safety and build his home with the reassurance that it will not be demolished or destroyed.” He considered that "Israel's withdrawal, the return of prisoners and our displaced people, and reconstruction are national constants that the state is committed to working to implement, and one goal for all that no one disagrees about."
Aoun began his visit from the Nabatieh Governorate building, where he addressed his recipients by saying: “We came here with the leaders of the security services to confirm that we stand by your side.” He added: “I know that the son of the south loves the state and its agencies, and wants the state and no one else. It is our duty to stand by your side and provide you with all the elements of steadfastness, and we salute your steadfastness here despite the aggression and bombing. We follow your situation daily, and I have no doubt that the south is in the heart of the state and the heart of Lebanon.
The President of the Republic inspected “the site of the martyrdom of 13 State Security personnel in an Israeli bombing of their center” last April. He also inspected the building of the Regional Financial Department of the Ministry of Finance and the Agriculture Department in Nabatieh, which were severely damaged as a result of the Israeli attack several days ago. Aoun addressed the local residents whom he met in the Nabatieh market while walking around the market, saying that “the aim of his visit is to find out their requirements in order to meet them with the relevant ministries and departments.”
After that, Aoun moved on foot to the Government Palace building in Nabatieh, which had been destroyed since the last aggression, in which the former mayor, Dr. Ahmed Kahil, 12 members and employees of the municipality, and citizens were martyred. He addressed the audience by saying: “Your steadfastness is the greatest medal on our chest. Your remaining here with your family, despite the war, is the greatest message to the world, which means that this society and this people, despite all the difficult circumstances, are able to rise again, and will remain standing forever.” For his part, Army Commander General Rudolph Heikal said: “The army did not leave Nabatieh on any day, nor did it leave any Lebanese town where there were still Lebanese citizens.”
During his visit to President Nabih Berri Governmental Hospital, Aoun addressed the hospital’s medical, first aid, nursing and administrative staff by saying: “I came to you to tell you how proud we are of you. You are the unknown soldier. By your steadfastness here, despite the difficult circumstances, you remained able to provide medical services to our people in the south. This is a medal on our chest and the chest of all Lebanese. We can only bow before your sacrifices and the greatness of the effort you are making.”
Hezbollah's leadership resorts to "strategic silence" when asked about the reasons behind Iran's failure to intervene with its support to prevent Israel from controlling the "Ali al-Taher" hills, even though it had threatened to engage in the confrontation on its side and not be left alone in confronting the Israeli army's incursion and its conquest of the military facility that the party established under its hills. Hezbollah follows a policy of silence when asked about the reasons behind Iran's breach of its pledge, and so far it has not found anything to say to its nurturing environment to justify its abstention from intervention.
The Iraqi Prime Minister relieved security commanders in the Maysan Governorate in the south of the country against the backdrop of launching bomb marches targeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at dawn on Saturday, while the authorities closed border crossings with Iran in an attempt to besiege the perpetrators of the attack, according to security officials. US President Donald Trump held Iran “most likely” directly responsible for the attack on the “East-West” oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia via drones launched from Iraqi territory.
