By Al Ahed Staff,
Deputy Head of Lebanon’s Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, led a delegation from the council on an inspection tour of several southern villages and towns targeted by the recent “Israeli” aggression, to assess the extent of the damage and meet with residents and local figures.
The tour began on Saturday morning with Sheikh al-Khatib visiting the towns of al-Kharayeb and Ansar, followed by Qanarit.
Speaking from the town of Ansar, Sheikh al-Khatib saluted its residents and expressed solidarity with them, addressing them, “Do not grieve; you are recording a new chapter of history.”
Sheikh al-Khatib went on saying, “Lebanon will not smile while its South is in pain,” adding, “We are in pain for the sake of Lebanon. We want Lebanese people to stand with themselves when they stand with southern Lebanon, which is part of this homeland, and whose people are part of the nation.”
He further stressed that the “Israeli” enemy will not be able to undermine their honor, dignity, or pride, nor force them to abandon their land, emphasizing that they will defend themselves if the state fails to do so.
“As long as the state is absent, and the Lebanese national army is prevented from being armed and strengthened so that it can defend its country, no one can stop us from defending ourselves, and no one has the right to prevent us from defending ourselves, even with knives.
He addressed the people of the South, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut, saying, “You will endure despite the extreme brutality of the Zionist enemy, and of those who stand behind it, arm it, and support it.”
He said that those inside Lebanon who cover up this aggression and justify the enemy's actions are traitors.
In a separate interview with a television station, Sheikh Khatib said, "We call on the state, alongside the people of the South, to be present in southern Lebanon so that the region is genuinely under the protection of the state.”
“The occupation has destroyed homes, but it will not break the will of the people of southern Lebanon, who will remain, preserve their land, and protect it,” he stressed.
Sheikh al-Khatib also pointed to the need for Arab solidarity, saying, “We expect serious positions from our Arab brothers, to whom we remain connected, and we call on them to stand alongside our people in southern Lebanon.”
Concluding his remarks, Sheikh al-Khatib said: “I had hoped to see Lebanese officials visiting these southern villages, to reassure people that there is someone looking out for their protection.”
He concluded: “I wished to see Lebanese officials inspecting these southern villages, so that people would feel reassured that there is someone protecting them.”
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