The Secretary-General visits Lebanon and appeals to Hezbollah and Israel to stop the war

Secretary-General António Guterres said in press statements after his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun: “I am here as a friend of the Lebanese people, to express my full solidarity with them.”. He added that friendship and solidarity in difficult moments are essential.

Guterres said that he realizes the extent of the suffering that the Lebanese are going through: “I know that the Muslim Lebanese are observing the month of Ramadan, and the Christian Lebanese are observing the period of Lent. These were supposed to be moments of peace, and they were supposed to be moments of solidarity. Unfortunately, Lebanon has been dragged into a war that is not a war that its people want to fight.”

He expressed his hope that his next visit to Lebanon would come while he enjoyed peace, and said: “I will then be able to visit Lebanon, where the state has a monopoly on the use of force, and visit Lebanon, where its sovereignty over its entire territory is restored and everyone respects it.”

And now, as Guterres said, “It is no longer the time for armed factions, but rather the time for strong countries.”