During his tour in the southern region, and to affirm Lebanon's sovereignty over its land and absolute rights to access every last inch of its liberated territories, the Minister of Public Works and Transport in the caretaker government, Ali Hamiye, visited the railway tunnel in Naqoura, a significant portion of which is occupied by the Israeli enemy. Standing at the tunnel's entrance, he emphasized the need to restore every inch of it, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
He stated, "We are on Lebanese land that is subject to Lebanese sovereignty, and as part of our relentless efforts to activate the public facilities under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, increase state revenues, and optimize the investment in every square meter of its properties, especially since it is located in a prime tourist area in Naqoura on the border with occupied Palestine."
He added, "We conducted a study on the railway tunnel that was built during World War II in 1942, which revealed that its length is 695 meters, and the surrounding land spans 1,800 square meters. Therefore, we are currently preparing specifications for launching international tenders to establish resorts and tourist facilities in this area, including a marine cable car."
He expressed that "as a sovereign country, we want our land borders to be complete, down to the last inch of our occupied land, and our maritime borders to extend to the last drop of water from our exclusive economic waters. We also want our rights and boundaries in the tunnel down to the last square meter, and we will not relinquish an inch of it," noting that the Israeli enemy occupies a significant portion of the tunnel that must be restored since it is subject to the properties of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
Hamiye announced from there a three-dimensional equation of the necessity to recover our land, maritime, and tunnel borders. In response to a question about whether "his visit is considered a challenge and what his message is," he replied, "Our project is to activate public facilities, and the challenge has existed for a long time and will remain. He affirmed that despite all the calamities Lebanon has endured from the Israeli enemy, they have not and will not break us.”
He concluded by stating, "My role as a minister in the Lebanese government is related to construction, while others have their role in protection." He emphasized that it is essential to restore every square meter of the properties belonging to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in this area, and if anyone wishes to consider this a challenge, it is so; this is our land and the land of our ancestors, and we will not give it up.
