Doha: Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun has called on the United States to pressure Israel to withdraw from the five points it still occupies in southern Lebanon, noting that failure to withdraw would not be beneficial to Lebanon and would further complicate the situation.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement carried by the Lebanese National News Agency, General Aoun affirmed Lebanon's full commitment to Resolution 1701, highlighting "Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement." He stressed that the priority is to de-escalate tensions in the south and mentioned that the will exists and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is performing its duties. However, he emphasized that Lebanon needs time and space to resolve matters calmly.
Separately, the Lebanese President explained that he signed the banking secrecy law last week, and that the government began discussing the decision to restructure the banking sector last Friday. He stated, "We will also soon begin working on formulating the national security strategy, from which the national defense strategy will emerge." It's worth noting that on November 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon came into effect, stipulating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from border villages and towns in southern Lebanon within sixty days.
Following this, the Lebanese government agreed to extend the deadline until February 18, but the Israeli army remained at five points.