Caretaker Information Minister Ziad al-Makari affirmed that “Lebanon is committed to borders and rights, and we will not give up our land,” wishing “a government will be formed and a presidential vacuum will not occur.”
Minister Al-Makari’s speech came during a southern tour that began with a visit to the office of the “National News Agency” in Saraya Sidon at nine this morning, accompanied by a delegation from the ministry that included Director General Dr. Boutros Franjieh and Brigadier General Antoine Makari.
He and the accompanying delegation were received by the Governor of the South, Mansour Daou, and officials from the Agency’s offices and delegate in Sidon, Iman Salama, Nabatiyeh Samer Wahbi, Ali Daoud, Al-Zahrani Khader Akhdar, Fatima Jammoul and Rose Issa, in the presence of journalists Raifa Al-Mallah and Ghassan Al-Zaatari.
Al-Makari delivered a speech in which he wished for “the formation of the government, even with a government amendment that comes with a political agreement,” considering that “it is better to have a new government in this circumstance, in anticipation of the possibility of not electing a president,” noting that “in our modern history in Lebanon, neither the president was elected nor in any time within the correct constitutional deadline.”
He said: “As you know, at the beginning of the first week of next September, and in the first election session, in which we have entered the constitutional deadline, and it does not seem that there is anything looming on the horizon, we are afraid that we will enter the last constitutional deadline, so that the House of Representatives will become an electoral body, which weakens its constitutional role. He pointed out that “there may be constitutional fatwas to cover the necessary parliament legislation to enable us to get out of our crisis and our affairs related to the International Monetary Fund.”
As for the presidential vacuum, he hoped that “this matter would not happen”, pointing out that “there is a presidential governmental movement towards the possibility of creating or amending a government that we hope will bear fruit soon, God willing.”
In the governor’s office
Then Minister Al-Makari, the accompanying delegation and the team of the offices of the “National Media Agency” moved to the office of Governor Daou, where he held a meeting during which the participants discussed “the reflection of social, economic and health crises on the citizen in general, and the conditions of public sector employees in particular and their rightful demands,” stressing “the need to find solutions that restore the The sector has its capacity to enable it to continue serving the citizens.”
After the meeting, the minister expressed his “delight for his visit to Sidon, the gateway to the south, which was not the first and will not be the last, even if I left the ministry.”
He added, “I will visit all the offices of the “National Agency” in all regions, based on my duties as a minister towards them, by meeting them, learning about their problems, and sharing with them all that they suffer and live with so that I can support them and demand their rights.”
He continued, “I will continue my tour to the Tire office and then go to Naqoura, where we will have a reception and a meeting with the UNIFIL leadership, during which we will tour the “Blue Line”. As Minister of Information, I will know what is happening on the borders. The discussion will address the Shebaa Farms, Kfar Shuba Hills, and the demarcation of the maritime borders, Even if the UNIFIL command is not the party concerned with this issue, it is my duty to deal with these issues and put my finger on the wound in order to pursue matters seriously and officially.”
Then Minister Makari, Dr. Falha, Harfouche, advisors, and Brigadier General Makari inspected the agency’s office, in the presence of the agency’s office team, and heard from Salama, Wehbe and Khader about their suffering and “the problems they face in their work, amid the deteriorating living and economic conditions,” stressing “their right to establish them and obtain their rights.” retirement.”
The Minister of Information expressed his “proud of the agency’s employees who responded to work after the strike was called off, despite all circumstances,” praising their “vanguard role and raising them to the elite of the media, despite all the situations and crises,” and said: “In front of this tender, I am ashamed of you because Moral support and standing by your side are not enough, and we will leave no way to help you improve your situation.”
Planting
For his part, Dr. Falha stressed that “the employees of the Ministry of Information, especially those working in the agency, spared no effort in doing what they could to perform their media duty, despite the difficult conditions,” praising their “work that the agency could not continue to lead without them.”
Harfoush
A speech by Harfouche, in which he stressed that “what distinguishes the workers in all the offices of the “National Agency” in Lebanon is that they work with their nerve, soul and heart because of their sense of feeling and true belonging to the region in which they perform their tasks,” noting that “their racing performance in covering the events they undertake from the heart before the pen”.
Agency team
In turn, the agency team collectively thanked “the support of Minister Makari, Dr. Falha and Director Harfouche and their support, stressing that their media professionalism in the National Agency is their first and last concern.”
Then the Minister of Information and the accompanying delegation moved with Governor Daw and the audience to his office.
And he was briefed by Salama and Wehbe on “the mechanism of work in the two offices, especially with the decline in the employee’s financial and economic ability to perform his job duty in light of the successive crises that weighed heavily on him and created obstacles that hindered the completion of tasks on the one hand, and imposed material costs that accumulated burdens more than the impossible ones. “.
At the agency’s office in Tire
The Minister of Information and the accompanying delegation visited the “National Agency” office in Tyre, and was received by the official in charge of the office, Qassem Safa, and the delegates.
He was briefed on the conditions of the office and staff and the proper functioning of the work after listening to an explanation of the work mechanism from Safa.
At UNIFIL headquarters
The minister and the delegation moved to the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, where they were received by the Head of the UNIFIL mission, the Commander in Chief, Major General Ardo Lazaro, his aides, and UNIFIL spokesperson Andre Tenenti.
After that, the Minister of Information wrote a word in the UNIFIL golden register, then exchanged memorial shields, and delivered a speech in which he said: “Dear President and Commander-in-Chief of the International Peacekeeping Forces operating in southern Lebanon “UNIFIL” Major General Aroldo Lazaro, it is a very dear occasion that we visit the UNIFIL headquarters “.
He added: “To those with blue hats, we raise our hat, in appreciation of their work and in honor of their noble mission in preserving peace in our beloved south and in establishing stability and security, in implementation of international resolutions since 1978.”
He continued, “We are fully aware that the role of UNIFIL is not limited to maintaining peace and security. Over the past years, especially after 2006, it has had development and service contributions that played a very important role in supporting the people of the liberated and resilient south.”
He said: “The UNIFIL headquarters, where we are today, is not an isolated spot from the land of the south, the precious area of our homeland, and it witnessed important activities that reflected the importance of cultural and humanitarian exchange between the Lebanese local community and the international community represented by the men and women workers of the UNIFIL, whom we have and for them.” All appreciation and respect In this context, and in my capacity as Minister of Information, I stress that the Ministry, as well as the people of the official and private media, have made and are making tremendous efforts to spread sufficient knowledge about the role of “UNIFIL” to facilitate its tasks. Stability and shed more light on your humanitarian, military, development and security roles.
He added: “The official and popular Lebanon, which is keen on the success of the UNIFIL mission, is looking forward to its renewal without any modification in its missions and its many. The Lebanese government is committed to international resolutions, foremost of which is Resolution 1701, which the Israeli enemy has been violating with almost air violations. daily”.
He concluded: “Finally, and from the steadfast south, we affirm that Lebanon today, as it has always been, adheres to borders and rights. Despite all the challenges facing Lebanese society, we will not give up our land. Just as we have never abandoned the south, including the Shebaa Farms and the Kfar Shuba Hills, we will not Today, we relinquish our maritime borders, which constitute an integral part of the area of Lebanon. We renew our welcome to our homeland, Lebanon, and we thank you for your kind hospitality to us at your headquarters.
Lazarou
General Lazaro gave a speech in which he said: “I would like to thank Minister Makari for his visit today to the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura. UNIFIL has a long and fruitful relationship with the Ministry of Information and its media units, the National Media Agency and Lebanon Television, and” Radio Lebanon”, along with the ministry’s social media platforms. All media outlets affiliated with the ministry played a pivotal role in providing realistic and objective reports on the activities of “UNIFIL” and the work of the peacekeeping forces of the mission.”
He added, “Their reports have highlighted our messages and activities aimed at defused tension along the ‘Blue Line’, preventing misunderstandings, helping local communities, and maintaining stability in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL has maintained this stability in southern Lebanon since 2006 thanks to Their collective efforts alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the parties’ commitment to the cessation of hostilities by implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
He continued, “UNIFIL can create the necessary conditions on the ground that are conducive to strengthening political and diplomatic efforts, but it cannot be a substitute for a political solution, as this matter depends on the parties. We will continue to work towards our goal of cessation of hostilities and push the process towards a long-term solution.” And lasting peace in southern Lebanon. The peacekeeping mission does not operate in a vacuum. Support for the host communities we are here to protect is of paramount importance, as is the support of the Lebanese authorities and the media.”
He concluded: “We hope that this special relationship with the Ministry of Information will continue, especially in these difficult times.”
The Minister of Information concluded his tour with a tour of the “Blue Line”.
In his honor and his accompanying delegation, a lunch was held at the UNIFIL headquarters.
