Tehran, IRNA – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable” after Israeli forces opened fire on displaced residents of southern Lebanon who were returning to their towns as a deadline for their withdrawal expired.
“Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and I will pursue this issue at the highest levels to guarantee the rights of the Lebanese people,” Aoun said on Sunday.
At least 22 people were killed and 124 others wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on those returning to their towns and villages along the border upon the expiration of the 60-day ceasefire implementation period.
“I celebrate the victory of what is right alongside the people of southern Lebanon. I urge the community to remain calm and to place their trust in the armed forces,” the president said. “The Lebanese army is always by your side, and it remains committed to protecting your security.”
Also reacting to the Israeli violations, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the international community and the countries monitoring the ceasefire agreement must compel the Israeli regime to withdraw from Lebanese territory immediately.
In a joint statement on Sunday, the top UN official in Lebanon and the chief of the UN peacekeepers in the south said conditions were “not yet in place” for Lebanese citizens to safely return to their homes near the border.
“The fact is that the timelines envisaged” in the ceasefire deal “have not been met,” they said.
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