The situation unfolding in southern Lebanon is neither exaggeration nor rhetoric—it is a stark reality materializing on the ground. Zionist settlers have begun executing organized settlement initiatives in Lebanese border towns, starting with tree-planting operations that signal deeper territorial ambitions.
In the southern border town of Yaron, dozens of activists from the Israeli group Oritz Avaron crossed into Lebanese territory to plant trees, a move widely interpreted as a deliberate indication of expansionist intentions.
Ahmad Sarour, mayor of Aita Al-Shaab and a member of the Public Relations Committee of the Bint Jbeil Municipal Union, described the development as a clear demonstration of the Israeli enemy’s aggressive designs on Lebanese land and resources. “This act reveals premeditated intentions toward this area,” Sarour said, warning that it reflects a systematic strategy to assert control over parts of Lebanon.
Additionally, Sarour emphasized that, given the accumulation of daily violations, Lebanon must adopt a firm stance. He called on the state and government to reject these aggressions outright and employ all means necessary to halt them, ensuring the return of residents to their villages and the full restoration of Lebanese territory.
He further urged the Lebanese government to file complaints with the United Nations Security Council without delay. “Even if such actions do not always yield immediate results, diplomatic and political measures remain essential, alongside security measures, especially to protect the communities living in the affected areas,” Sarour stated.
Sovereignty and Security at Stake
The incursions represent a serious challenge to Lebanese sovereignty and security, placing the state under heightened responsibility to act decisively.
Member of Parliament Melhem Khalaf echoed these concerns, cautioning that crossing the border and violating Lebanese sovereignty cannot be treated as a benign “tree-planting excursion.” He stressed, “Lebanon is not an open ground to correct historical delusions, nor a backyard for sick settlement schemes. Our borders are not laboratories for failed expansionist dreams.”
The gravity of the current scene is compounded by prior Israeli occupation statements openly declaring expansionist intentions not only in Lebanon but also in the West Bank and Gaza. This precedent underscores the urgency for the Lebanese state to act across all levels—diplomatic, political, and security—before it is too late, defending the integrity of the nation.
Source: Al-Manar Website