NNA - President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during their meeting this morning at Baabda Palace that “Lebanon is committed to the need for Israeli forces’ withdrawal from its occupied territories in the south within the deadline set by the agreement reached on November 27.”

President Aoun underlined that “the continued Israeli land and air violations, particularly in bombarding houses and destroying border villages, completely contradict with the ceasefire agreement and is considered a continued breach of Lebanese sovereignty and the will of the international community to restore stability to southern Lebanon.”

Aoun considered Guterres' visit to Lebanon a week after his election as President of the Republic "a message of hope to the Lebanese," thanking the United Nations organizations for the support provided to Lebanon in all fields, hailing the role of the international peacekeeping forces operating in the south and the steadfastness of its members in the face of the Israeli attacks that targeted its centers, saluting the souls of the "UNIFIL" martyrs and stressing full coordination with the Lebanese army.

Additionally, President Aoun raised the issue of Israel's burning of agricultural lands in the south, aspiring for the help of the United Nations especially the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for farmers to restore the investment status of their lands once again.

Aoun also touched on the readiness of the Lebanese army to replace the Israelis immediately after their withdrawal, and requested the assistance of the United Nations to secure the return of displaced Syrians to their country, now that the political and security reasons that led to their displacement are no longer in place.

==========R.Sh.