BEIRUT: Newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has vowed to rebuild what the Israeli occupation has destroyed in the country.
“I promise to reconstruct what Israel destroyed in the south and Beirut’s southern suburbs,’ he said in a speech before parliament after taking his oath of office on Thursday.
Aoun added Lebanon will be able to remove Israeli occupation and the effects of its aggression. The newly elected president said that Palestinian people’s right to return must be guaranteed.
He also committed to fostering strong relations with Arab countries and cooperating with Syria to secure the borders on both sides.
The Mediterranean country has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022.
Aoun was elected President of Lebanon after receiving 99 out of 128 votes in the Parliament, easily achieving the required two-thirds majority.
The new president faces significant challenges, including overseeing the truce along the Israeli border and rebuilding bomb-damaged neighbourhoods in the south, east, and the capital.
Since 2019, Lebanon has been enduring its worst financial crisis in history. The Hezbollah-Israel conflict has resulted in over $5 billion in economic losses for Lebanon, with structural damage totalling billions more, according to the World Bank.
Global Reaction
The US embassy in Lebanon congratulated new President Joseph Aoun on his election pledging to support him in his mission.
“We… are committed to working closely with President Aoun as he begins his efforts to unite the country, implement reforms and secure a prosperous future for Lebanon,” the embassy said in a post on X.
France has also welcomed the election of Joseph Aoun as president urging the formation of a strong government to drag the country out of a political and economic crisis.
Extending France’s “warm congratulations” to Aoun, the French foreign ministry said his election “opens a new page for the Lebanese” and urged “the appointment of a strong government” that can help the country recover.
Iran’s embassy in Beirut welcomed the election of Joseph Aoun as new President of Lebanon expressing hopes for close cooperation between the two countries.
“We congratulate brotherly Lebanon for the election of General Joseph Aoun,” said the embassy in a statement on X, adding that “we look forward to working together… and to cooperate in different fields in a way that serves the common interests for our countries.”
Qatar praised the election of Joseph Aoun as President of Lebanon urging for “stability” after the more than two-year vacancy was filled.
“The State of Qatar welcomes the election of Lebanese army commander General Joseph Aoun,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that it hoped his election would “contribute to establishing security and stability in Lebanon”.
