Lebanon warns Hamas against undermining national sovereignty
Lebanon warns Hamas against undermining national sovereignty, security
Lebanon's Supreme Defence Council has issued a recommendation to the government, warning Hamas against carrying out "any actions that could undermine the country's sovereignty and national security".
BEIRUT — Lebanon's Supreme Defence Council has issued a recommendation to
the government, warning Hamas against carrying out "any actions that could
undermine the country's sovereignty and national security".
The warning followed a council meeting chaired by
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, attended by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Cabinet
Ministers, and senior military and security officials on Friday, Xinhua news
agency reported.
In a statement released after the meeting, Mohammad
Al-Mustafa, the Council's Secretary-General, said it decided to submit a
recommendation to the Cabinet that includes "a warning to Hamas against
using Lebanese territory to carry out any activities that compromise Lebanese
national security, affirming that the most stringent measures and necessary
actions will be taken to end any violation of Lebanese sovereignty
definitively".
On April 20, the Lebanese Army announced it had foiled an
attempt to launch rockets from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel.
This came just days after the April 16 arrest of Lebanese
and Palestinian individuals accused of launching rockets on March 22 and 28
toward northern Israel -- attacks for which Hezbollah denied responsibility and
no group has claimed.
President Aoun emphasised during the meeting the
"importance of maintaining security, stability, and asserting state
authority," stressing "zero tolerance for turning Lebanon into a
platform for destabilisation".
He added that while the Palestinian cause remains
important, Lebanon must not be dragged into wars or exposed to unnecessary
danger.
Amid ongoing security developments in Syria, Aoun
stressed "the need to contain any potential fallout that could negatively
affect Lebanon's internal stability or worsen the Syrian refugee crisis".
Prime Minister Salam reiterated "the necessity of
surrendering all illegal weapons in line with the National Accord Document and
the government's ministerial statement, and preventing Hamas or any other
factions from destabilising Lebanon's national and security interests".
"The integrity of Lebanese territory is
paramount," he added, while reaffirming Lebanon's "support for the
Palestinian people's right to self-determination on their land in accordance
with international law and the Arab Peace Initiative".
Israel has continued to strike Lebanon despite a
ceasefire agreed in November to end more than a year of hostilities with
Hezbollah that included a bombing campaign and ground incursion.
Under the deal, Hezbollah was to withdraw north of the
Litani River and dismantle military sites to its south.
Israel was to pull out of southern Lebanon but has kept
troops in five positions it calls "strategic".
