Salam at UN: Lebanon’s future cannot be decided on its behalf, warns of UNIFIL vacuum

Lebanon faces three challenges: reclaiming its territory from Israeli occupation, asserting its sovereignty over all of its territory through its own capabilities, and genuinely respecting international resolutions, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said.

Speaking before the U.N. General Assembly, Salam said Lebanon is affected by developments in its surroundings, but that does not mean it accepts becoming an arena for others’ conflicts or a bargaining chip in their hands.

He stressed that Lebanon’s future cannot be decided on its behalf and that its security and stability must not become the price of deals reached in its absence.

Salam said Lebanon’s position on the war has been clear from the outset, adding: “We want the war to end, the ceasefire to be upheld, and Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territory to our internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the 1949 Armistice Agreement, as reaffirmed by Resolution 1701. We want all our detainees released and the safe and dignified return of our people to their villages and towns, as well as the reconstruction of what the war destroyed.”

He said the success of any agreement should not be measured by declared intentions but by the implementation of commitments, calling for the framework to be translated into practical steps under a clear timeline and a verification mechanism that ensures all its provisions are implemented.

“What we want to stress today is the need to avoid the vacuum that could result from the withdrawal of UNIFIL forces if it takes place without an agreement on a new international force to replace it and ensure the continuation of monitoring, reporting and communication tasks, while complementing the requirements for implementing the trilateral framework,” Salam said.

He called for continued funding to meet the basic needs of those affected, particularly displaced people, alongside the requirements of early recovery, reconstruction and development.

Salam said rebuilding southern Lebanon is not simply about reconstructing buildings, but about rebuilding people’s lives, restoring their livelihoods and securing their right to live safely and with dignity on their land.