Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that his government cannot build a unified, sovereign Lebanon unless Israel withdraws from the areas it illegally occupied earlier this year. These remarks came seven months after the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on 28 February.
Salam emphasized that Lebanon would not become "an arena for the conflicts of others or a bargaining chip in their hands." He stated that Lebanon's future won't be decided on its behalf, nor should its security become the price of settlements concluded in its absence. "We want the ceasefire consolidated," Salam declared. "We want Israel to withdraw from our Lebanese territory up to our internationally recognised borders in accordance with the 1949 General Armistice Agreement and as affirmed by [UN] Resolution 1701."
Ongoing Occupation and Dispossession
The prime minister also called for the release of all Lebanese detainees, the safe return of displaced people to their villages, and the reconstruction of war-damaged areas. Lebanon has agreed to negotiations with Israel, mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to address these issues. However, a June report from the Times of Israel indicated that since the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, Israel has seized more than 1,000 square kilometers across Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, stating it "has no plans to withdraw."
In Lebanon alone, Israeli forces now occupy over 600 square kilometers of Lebanese territory along its northern border. This military occupation has had devastating consequences. Nearly 9,000 Lebanese have been killed since 2023, following Hezbollah's rocket fire at Israel in response to its onslaught in Gaza. More than one million Lebanese in the south have been forced to flee their homes, creating a vast humanitarian crisis.
Salam stressed that the success of any agreement is measured by the fulfillment of commitments, not merely by declared intentions. He called for the US-mediated framework to be translated into practical steps with a clear timetable and a verification mechanism. The Lebanese government, he added, must extend its authority via its national forces "over the entirety of its territory, with weapons held by the state alone." He also appealed for increased UN and international aid, asserting that Lebanon has earned it through its reform efforts.
US Complicity and Regional Impact
Meanwhile, Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi focused his General Assembly remarks on economic diversification, echoing statements he delivered at the Iraqi American Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, in July. Zaidi urged international investment, highlighting Iraq's resources, markets, and strategic location. His government aims to reduce reliance on a rentier economy by expanding private-sector activity across various sectors.
However, the legacy of the 2003 US invasion continues to shape Iraq's economic reality. Some 90 percent of Iraq's state budget comes from oil revenues, which are held in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Baghdad requires US approval for cash to be flown into the country, underscoring persistent US control over Iraq's financial sovereignty. Zaidi, a former banker, seeks to reposition Iraq as a stable state for foreign direct investment, prioritizing a crackdown on corruption and the consolidation of weapons from Iran-backed militias.
Zaidi noted that Iraq is moving its relationship with strategic partners from military cooperation to economic and development cooperation. He touted the developing energy corridor linking Iraq with Turkey, Jordan, and Syria as "a vital gateway" to Europe, asserting that economic interests foster stability. While not directly naming the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has destabilized the region for the last seven months, he expressed "concern" for the "maritime navigation... crisis." Iraq's vision, he concluded, is to contribute to the region's transition from conflict to integration, based on respect for sovereignty and non-interference.