Hezbollah said on Friday, on the occasion of Lebanon’s 82nd anniversary of independence, that it completely rejects all forms of subordination and external orders, emphasizing Lebanon’s legitimate right to defend its territory and resist occupation, Al-Manar TV’s English-language website said.
In a statement, resistance group media representatives called on Israel to force Israel to implement the cease-fire agreement and resolution 1701.
“This year’s Independence Day comes during a delicate and sensitive phase in the region, with Lebanon exposed to Israeli aggression and US sanctions targeting its land, people and resources,” a statement carried by Al-Manar said.
Hezbollah praised the sacrifices of the Lebanese people for the country’s independence and liberation.
“In the struggle to gain independence and liberate the country from occupation, the Lebanese people made countless martyrs and great sacrifices. Through their unity, unity, unity, fortitude and resistance, they were able to turn the country’s independence into a unifying opportunity under which all components and factions of the Lebanese people unite under its flag. As a result, Lebanon remains free, sovereign and independent and rejects subordination to any foreign power.”
Maintaining independence amid the storms threatening Lebanon and the region is the responsibility of all Lebanese, he stressed, adding that “a spirit of resistance to occupation and aggression is necessary.”
“Preserving independence also requires building independence and maintaining the formula that defeated the Zionist enemy on May 25, 2000, crushed its power in the July 2006 invasion, prevented the 2004 invasion from achieving its objectives, and thwarted the Takfir terrorist plot in 2017,” the statement added.
In this regard, the Lebanese resistance group called for “strengthening national unity, unity and cooperation among all Lebanese people, regardless of their affiliation, as these are fundamental pillars for confronting Israeli aggression, defending Lebanon’s independence and defending its dignity.”
Hezbollah also called for rejecting “any form of subordination or external command, as Lebanese independence can only be achieved by rejecting and confronting external projects.”
“We demand that Lebanon maintain its strengths and not let it go in order to protect the rights of the nation,” the group added.
It also called for “all possible immediate efforts to force our enemy Israel to implement the ceasefire agreement and resolution 1701.”
The group called for efforts by the Lebanese state to pressure its guarantors to stop its aggression and take all possible measures to end the occupation.
Lebanon’s Independence Day is celebrated on November 22 every year to commemorate Lebanon’s complete independence from the French Mandate in 1943. This day marks the end of French rule and is celebrated with military parades, official ceremonies, and celebrations across the country.
On Friday, Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun and Army Commander Rudolf Heikal visited Benoît Barakat Barracks in Tire, southern Lebanon, to commemorate the occasion.
MNA