Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told the UN General Assembly that only Lebanon’s state institutions may negotiate on the country’s behalf and demanded an immediate end to Israeli strikes. He called for Israel’s withdrawal to internationally recognised borders, the release of Lebanese detainees, the return of displaced people and reconstruction assistance. Salam urged that the June framework be turned into phased, verifiable steps and warned of a security vacuum after UNIFIL’s planned withdrawal at the end of 2026.
Lebanon’s PM Tells UN: Only State May Negotiate — Calls for Israeli Withdrawal and UNIFIL Replacement
FILE PHOTO - Israeli tanks in southern Lebanon. (is associated with: «Lebanon PM asserts sovereignty at UN as Israel conflict drags on») -/dpa
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told the United Nations General Assembly in New York that only Lebanon’s official institutions have the authority to negotiate on the country’s behalf, and he urged an immediate end to Israeli attacks and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to internationally recognised borders.
“As the war in the region expands and initiatives to end it multiply, we have adhered to a principle that cannot be compromised: No one speaks on behalf of Lebanon, and no one negotiates for it, except the Lebanese state through its constitutional institutions.”
Salam’s remarks were widely interpreted as addressing Iran and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that fields its own armed forces and has been central to the ongoing confrontation with Israel. He warned that Lebanon must not be drawn into wider regional battles or treated as a bargaining chip.
Salam emphasised that full sovereignty requires both an Israeli withdrawal to Lebanon’s internationally recognised borders and the extension of exclusive state authority across the country, including sole control over weapons and decisions of war and peace. He said Lebanon had been dragged into conflict it had not chosen and called for the release of Lebanese detainees, the return of displaced civilians and reconstruction of war-damaged areas.
FILE PHOTO - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is pictured during a meeting at the Prime Minister's office. (is associated with: «Lebanon PM asserts sovereignty at UN as Israel conflict drags on») Markus Lenhardt/dpa
He reiterated support for negotiations held under US auspices and urged that the June framework reached in those talks be translated into concrete, phased measures with a clear timetable and verification mechanisms. Any final agreement, he said, must be reciprocal and contingent on both sides fulfilling their commitments.
Salam also warned of a potential security vacuum in southern Lebanon after the planned drawdown of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL. The UN Security Council decided last year that UNIFIL’s mandate will end on December 31, 2026, with the mission to be wound down within a year thereafter. Beirut has repeatedly requested an extension; officials expect the Lebanese Armed Forces to assume responsibility after UNIFIL departs, possibly with international training, support and monitoring under a new international or European mechanism.
Key demands: immediate end to hostilities, Israeli withdrawal to 1949 armistice/UN-recognised borders and swift implementation of the June framework under verifiable terms.
File photo: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during a meeting at the Prime Minister's office. (Markus Lenhardt/dpa)
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