Lebanon’s prime minister, stressing the need to build a state with “one army,” said that he is working to achieve the departure of Israel and end attacks on the south of this country.

Nawaf Salam, recalling that the war in southern Lebanon was “not our choice, but was imposed on us,” added that the breadth of the needs in this region goes beyond the capacity of the government and that Lebanon needs substantial financial resources.

According to him, halting military tensions, ensuring Israel’s withdrawal, and providing the conditions for Lebanese citizens to return to their cities and areas are among the government’s priorities.

The Lebanese prime minister also announced that waiting to reach a major regional agreement is not a suitable option for the country, because such an agreement may or may not be achieved and may even “come at our expense.”

Israel had earlier announced that it would not withdraw from security areas until the complete disarmament of the “Hezbollah terrorists,” and that it would continue destroying “Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure.”