The "Middle East" newspaper reports: Lebanese President Michel Aoun met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella on the second day of Aoun's visit to Italy, where he defended Hezbollah in a press interview, asserting that the party does not influence the security situation in Lebanon and that resistance is not terrorism.
Aoun stated that Italy plays a significant role in assisting Lebanon and is its primary European trading partner, emphasizing that Lebanon is determined, despite difficulties, to heal from the ramifications of the crises it faces. The Italian president confirmed that cooperation between Lebanon and Italy continues through international forces (UNIFIL), and Italy is ready to provide further support to contribute to achieving stability in southern Lebanon.
The remarks of Presidents Aoun and Mattarella came during the Lebanese-Italian summit held yesterday at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, which gathered the two leaders at the beginning of Aoun's working visit to the Italian capital after concluding his visit to the Vatican the day before.
President Aoun took the opportunity to renew his congratulations to President Mattarella on his re-election for a new presidential term, considering that it reflects the renewed confidence Italians have in him. Aoun thanked Italy for its "ongoing solidarity with Lebanon," reaffirming the determination to overcome the intertwined crises Lebanon endures, which are well-known: the impacts of the Syrian war and the closure of land crossings for goods to the Arab and Gulf countries, the resulting massive Syrian displacement crisis that has lasted for over ten years, the worsening economic and financial crisis, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that altered the nature of international interaction, along with the disaster of the Beirut port explosion. He stressed that "Lebanon is on the path to recovery and resurrection, and it is time to adopt a development plan that encourages its people, especially the young generation, to stay and embark on the path of reconstruction."
For his part, the Italian president emphasized "the importance of Lebanon's role and message in its environment and the world," considering that "solving any currently intricate problem contributes to resolving other issues." He confirmed that "Lebanon remains an example of a country capable of growing again and is a model to follow, especially in terms of the balances that preserve everyone's rights, and it has a fundamental role in the development of the entire region." The presidents Aoun and Mattarella agreed to regard the upcoming parliamentary elections as "an opportunity for further stability."
In parallel, President Michel Aoun stated in an interview with an Italian newspaper that Hezbollah does not affect the security reality in Lebanon, asserting that "resisting occupation is not terrorism." In response to a question about what the Lebanese state is doing in the presence of "Hezbollah" as a state within a state with full military capability, he said: "Hezbollah's position within Lebanon is completely different from its outlook toward the outside. It does not have any influence in any way on the security reality of the Lebanese domestically. As for the southern borders, cooperation exists between the army and UNIFIL forces." He added: "Hezbollah is a party that possesses weapons and has liberated southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation; it consists of Lebanese from the south who suffered from Israeli occupation, and resisting occupation is not terrorism."
In response to a question about why there has been no change in Lebanon despite protests and whether the Lebanese political class is resistant to reform, Aoun said: "I was the first to call for change. Our system is complex and is based on consensual democracy; we have three main political references, which makes it difficult to find solutions acceptable to all. We seek to implement extensive administrative decentralization that would contribute to a better application of our constitution."
