President Joseph Aoun marks 50th anniversary of Lebanon's civil war outbreak with call for national unity

President Joseph Aoun marked the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of Lebanon's civil war on Saturday with a heartfelt message to the Lebanese people, urging reflection, unity, and a renewed commitment to the state as the sole protector of the nation.

Aoun addressed citizens "who are still suffering from the aftermath of the war, whose dreams have been lost" and called on the country to remember "those who died, those whose wounds still bleed, and those still waiting for their missing loved ones."

Reflecting on the causes and legacy of the conflict, Aoun questioned, "Why couldn't we have developed our system without resorting to war? Our war, and those of foreign actors, converged only on our land."

The president emphasized that violence and hatred are not solutions and called on all Lebanese to recognize the state and its institutions as the only legitimate reference for governance. 

"We must understand that the Lebanese state, through its institutions, is the only framework where we can all be equal despite our differences," he said.

In a veiled message to political factions aligned with foreign powers, Aoun warned that any party seeking support from abroad ultimately destroys Lebanon. "There is no refuge for the Lebanese other than the institutions of their state," he said.

Concluding his remarks, Aoun said the time has come for all Lebanese to unite behind a strong, sovereign, just, and present state that reflects its people's will.