President Joseph Aoun stressed before a delegation from the municipalities of Marjayoun, Al-Qlayaa, Burj al-Mouluk, Ibl al-Saqi, Deir Mimas, and Kawkaba that when the South is exhausted, this is reflected on all of Lebanon, and the time has come for the South, and with it Lebanon, to rest. He emphasized that the time has come for the army to return to assume its full duties and to be solely responsible for security in the South, and everyone must rally around it and the security forces, otherwise the loss will encompass everyone. He said that "hatred does not build states and homelands, and we have no choice but to live with one another." The mayor of Kawkaba, Mr. Elie Abu Naqoul, spoke, presenting the reality of the municipality and the difficulties it witnesses with neighboring villages and towns, and the absence of development and attention from it for many years. He praised President Aoun's positions, stressing that the steadfastness of the people in their homes is for the sake of the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over all its territories and for the Lebanese army to extend its control over all regions. Then the priest of the Al-Qlayaa parish, Father Antonios Farah, spoke, endorsing what is issued by the President of the Republic, out of belief in Lebanon the message. He recalled the parish's heroic martyr Father Pierre al-Rahi "who carried a continuous smile, manliness, a leadership spirit, faith and love, and saw in your presence a sign of hope and steadfastness." He added: "We are here today, not to make demands, but to affirm that we are by your side, as we have always been, in every position where you served the nation, and with you today in your major responsibilities. We affirm our commitment to Lebanon, to our steadfastness in our land, and to our adherence to our national and humanitarian mission. Our steadfastness is not a provocation to anyone, nor is it a stance of confrontation with any party; it is an adherence to the material and spiritual heritage, and we carry no weapon, as you know, except our faith, and we rely on no one except God as a shield and protector, and this conviction is what preserves us and grants us the ability to continue, and may our Lebanese army be the sole shield and loyal bulwark, and may it be strong in the face of the tides." He continued: "Based on our faith in your person, and in the right of the Lebanese to live in safety and dignity, we stand behind you today, and we appeal to you to continue your efforts and talks in order to reach a comprehensive solution that ends the cycle of war and restores Lebanon's true face, so that it remains a homeland of peace and the message of coexistence. You have from the people of the steadfast South all support and prayer in your tireless work, with the aim of reaching this solution, for urgent and permanent peace is not only a political demand, but rather an existential necessity for a people exhausted by wars, and for a region exhausted by conflicts." Sheikh Zuhair Munther, one of the sheikhs of Ibl al-Saqi, stressed the region's and its residents' support for President Aoun's vision and their standing by his side in his endeavor to restore Lebanon's renaissance and role. He stressed that the Lebanese are fed up with wars and destruction, and called on him to continue on the path he has chosen and the objectives he has set for the sake of the interest of Lebanon and its people. Then there was an intervention by the priest of Our Lady Church in Marjayoun, Father Youssef El Khoury, in which he presented some demands that he considered essential for the steadfastness of the people in their regions and homes, and for enhancing the presence of the security forces. President Aoun thanked the members of the delegation for their interventions and supportive positions for the objectives he has set for the sake of Lebanon, emphasizing that when the South is exhausted, this is reflected on all of Lebanon, and the time has come for the South, and with it Lebanon, to rest. He pointed out his continued efforts aimed at ending the state of war from which everyone has suffered, so that peace may prevail permanently and not in phases. President Aoun affirmed his permanent standing by the people of the South, appreciating their steadfastness despite the current difficult circumstances, and their attachment to their land and property. He pointed out that what he is doing is for the interest of all Lebanese, and not for a faction of them, and that the path of negotiations is the only one that remains after the exhaustion of other solutions, including war. He commended the positions of the southern towns and villages supporting and backing the army and the security forces that are carrying out their duties, especially in light of the malicious and unjust campaigns to which the military institution and the security agencies are subjected. The Lebanese have suffered a lot when the army was absent from the South, and the time has come for its return to assume its full duties and to be solely responsible for security in the South, and everyone must rally around it and the security forces, otherwise the loss will be comprehensive. President Aoun reiterated that whoever tries to insinuate sectarian and denominational strife will not succeed, and whoever does so offers a free gift to Israel, and that civil peace is a red line, and there is sufficient awareness at the level of the people and the majority of officials. He said: "Hatred does not build states and homelands, and we have no choice but to live with one another."