Haykal calls on Lebanese to trust army despite 'slanderous campaigns'
Army chief Rodolphe Haykal called Friday on the Lebanese to trust and support the army as they have always done, amid American and domestic pressure on the army to speedily disarm Hezbollah.
Haykal also called on the government to secure equipment for the army and improve the conditions of the military personnel, and urged the Lebanese soldiers to persevere despite the rumors and the "slanderous campaigns".
He said that Lebanon is going through hard times amidst Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories, and the continuing aggressions and violations resulting in the death and wounding of army personnel and preventing the army's deployment in south Lebanon.
"The Army has exerted tremendous efforts since the ceasefire agreement, despite difficulties and limited resources, to implement the (disarmament) plan, beef up its presence south of the Litani River, and extend the state's authority over all Lebanese territories," Haykal said.
"It will not hesitate and will not be sparing any effort or drop of blood to preserve Lebanon's right to sovereignty over every inch of its land and to help the war-displaced residents to return to their villages."
Under a government-approved plan, the army is to dismantle Hezbollah military infrastructure south of the Litani river by the end of the year, before tackling the rest of the country.
Israel has kept up near-daily attacks on Lebanon and still maintains troops in five areas in south Lebanon. It has intensified raids on Lebanon in recent weeks and says the army is failing to disarm Hezbollah and to prevent it from rebuilding its military capabilities.
"The Command is fully aware of the exceptional circumstances surrounding the implementation of the army's plan, which is going on as previewed. These circumstances necessitate the highest degrees of wisdom, firmness and professionalism, in a manner that serves the national interest and civil peace," Haykal said.
The army commander later visited with President Joseph Aoun the city of Tyre, where they discussed the security situation in south Lebanon, the Israeli aggressions and the army's missions.
Haykal was scheduled to visit Washington this week but the trip was called off after U.S. political and military officials cancelled their meetings with him just hours before he was scheduled to depart on Tuesday.
Those who cancelled included influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who in a statement on X slammed what he said was Haykal's "weak almost non-existent effort to disarm Hezbollah".
Graham also criticized an army statement that referred to Israel as the "enemy" -- a standard term even in official discourse in Lebanon, which has been technically at war with Israel since 1948.
The statement in question condemned "the Israeli enemy's insistence on violating Lebanese sovereignty" and was issued after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Israeli soldiers shot at its peacekeepers on Sunday.
Political and ministerial sources meanwhile said that the cancelled visit is not targeting Haykal but is a message to the Lebanese authorities and President Aoun, who is trying to resolve the problem and will soon meet with new U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa to discuss the issue.
"What happened does not mean that the Lebanese army is no longer a strategic ally to Washington or that it will no longer support it, these are temporary measures", political sources told al-Jadeed.
The TV channel also reported a meeting over the cancelled visit between Haykal and French Ambassador Hervé Magro.
Source: Naharnet
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