The President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, affirmed that the southerners’ adherence to their land “is the most effective response to all attempts at displacement, intimidation, and attacks committed by Israel,” stressing that the state will remain alongside the people of the south, the steadfast ones and those forcibly displaced from their villages and towns, until the end of the Israeli occupation or the siege on every southern village. He said: The people of the south, especially those who are steadfast in their villages, “are the guardians of the land, and the state is your support and will protect you and will not give up any inch of your land.” President Aoun’s words came during his reception this afternoon at Baabda Palace, a delegation from the municipality of Deir Mimas, headed by the mayor, Mrs. Tania Barnaba, and the membership of the town’s priest, Father Salim Asaad, and Messrs.: Michel Hourani, Marwan Jabour, Raif Hourani, Nicola Suleiman, Helon Suwaidan Al-Hasbani. The mayor spoke on behalf of the delegation and affirmed that the people applaud the efforts of the President of the Republic and his national stances, and appreciate his steadfast insistence on restricting weapons to the Lebanese state, and that the decision of war and peace be up to it and its legitimate institutions, first and foremost the army and security forces throughout the Lebanese territories. Mrs. Barnaba presented the current reality in Deir Misas, where she and her children live under exceptional security, economic, and humanitarian conditions, noting that they are “keen for the town to remain a living part of the Lebanese state, present in its institutions and services, and for its people not to feel abandoned or isolated from the rest of the Lebanese forces.” The members of the delegation continued to speak, presenting the most prominent demands of the people of Deir Mimas, “who wish to remain under the control of the state and its institutions without any feeling of isolation or difference from their surroundings,” demanding that a clear mechanism be provided for coordination with the relevant authorities to obtain approvals to access their lands and pick olives, the source of the people’s livelihood, and help dispose of the production, and to ensure the continuity of the roads leading to the town and access to basic humanitarian services, especially water, electricity, health and social services, and to provide support for students in schools and universities. Contributing to educational tuition and expenses, addressing the waste crisis, supporting the municipality with mechanisms and resources, releasing its dues from the Independent Municipal Fund, including the people of Deir Mimas in the compensation program for damages and losses to homes, property, and sources of livelihood, and assisting families who have lost part of their source of income as a result of the current circumstances. President Aoun responded by welcoming the municipal delegation, and saluted the steadfastness of the people of the town despite the difficult circumstances that the south is going through, expressing full solidarity with the people in the damage, suffering and displacement they are enduring, like other southerners, those who are steadfast or forcibly displaced from their villages as a result of Israeli attacks. He said: “Be assured that your pain is the pain of all of Lebanon, and the south is an authentic and indivisible part of the homeland, and your steadfastness in your land, homes, places of worship, and livelihood is an act of faith in Lebanon and a noble national message, because the survival of the border people in their villages is the first line of defense for sovereignty.” President Aoun stressed that the state is present as much as the security conditions allow for each region, to protect its people and provide all the elements of steadfastness, “because it is a national priority that cannot be compromised, and there will only be the Lebanese army and the legitimate security forces, the only authority responsible for the security of citizens.” President Aoun stressed that "political, diplomatic and negotiating efforts are continuing to stop the Israeli attacks, restore stability, achieve complete withdrawal from the occupied territories, deploy the army to the internationally recognized southern border, return the people to their villages, begin reconstruction, and support municipalities to enable them to carry out their role, and secure basic services such as electricity, water, roads, schools and health centres." Governor of the Bank of Lebanon President Aoun received the Governor of the Bank of Lebanon, Karim Saied, and discussed with him the issue of monetary stability, the conditions of the financial sector, and measures aimed at combating illicit money and the financing of terrorism, as well as the path of the ongoing financial and banking reforms. Governor Saeed informed the President of the Republic of the results of his recent meetings in France with senior officials in the French Treasury, as well as of his recent visit to Abu Dhabi. Major General Lowndes The President of the Republic was briefed by the Director General of State Security, Major General Edgar Lowndes, on the results of his visit to Azerbaijan and his participation in the “Baku” security forum, which was held in the Azerbaijani capital. He was also briefed on the results of his visit to both Russia and Belarus. The research touched on the work of State Security within the framework of the tasks assigned to this agency, especially in controlling the work of public departments and institutions and combating corruption and bribery.