DUBAI: Lebanon marked its Resistance and Liberation Day on Monday against the backdrop of continued Israeli strikes and fresh displacement in the country’s south, with officials saying the anniversary could not be fully celebrated while parts of Lebanese territory remain under attack.
The national holiday commemorates May 25, 2000, when Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon after a 22-year occupation.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called for this year’s anniversary to be observed as a day of solidarity with those affected by the ongoing conflict rather than celebration.
“Let us make this year’s occasion of Resistance and Liberation Day a day of solidarity with the families of the martyrs, the wounded, the prisoners, the displaced, and our steadfast people in the South and the frontline villages,” Salam said.
“As for the holiday, we will not celebrate it until the day of Israel’s complete withdrawal from our land and the safe, dignified return of our people.”
President Joseph Aoun said the liberation of southern Lebanon in 2000 was achieved through the sacrifices and steadfastness of the people of the south, calling May 25 “a day of comprehensive national dignity.”
But he said this year’s anniversary came as Lebanese villages in the south continued to face Israeli attacks and what he described as a renewed occupation in violation of international resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Aoun said Lebanon remained committed to securing a full Israeli withdrawal through negotiations while reaffirming the role of the Lebanese state and army in protecting the country’s sovereignty.
The remarks come as hostilities continued across Lebanon, with residents of 10 villages in the south ordered to evacuate on Monday amid ongoing bombardment and growing fears of escalation along the border.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israeli airstrikes on Sunday killed at least 18 people and injured 21 others, bringing the overall death toll from the conflict to 3,151.
