The Amal Movement on Sunday commemorated the anniversary of the May 17 Agreement by paying tribute to the Lebanese national, political, and popular forces that rejected an Israeli-backed attempt to undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty and Arab identity during the 1982 invasion.
In a statement marking the 43rd anniversary of the accord, the movement praised the immense sacrifices and collective resistance that confronted efforts to detach Lebanon from its Arab surroundings and turn it into a dagger against the nation. It recalled that the Israeli invasion had led to the fall of Beirut—described as the second Arab capital after Al-Quds to face occupation—but said Lebanon ultimately prevailed through steadfast resistance.
The movement said this year’s anniversary comes as Lebanon faces what it described as a renewed Israeli war targeting the country as a whole, particularly the South, the Bekaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. It argued that the ongoing assault aims to reproduce through military force what “Israel” failed to impose during the June 1982 invasion and through the May 17 Agreement itself.
According to the statement, the Israeli campaign has involved repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty; systematic killings of civilians and children; destruction of health, relief, educational, and religious institutions; as well as the forced displacement of nearly a third of Lebanon’s population. The movement also accused Israel of targeting journalists as part of a broader effort to erase Lebanon’s national dignity and Arab identity.
Call for Unity and Immediate End to Israeli Aggression
The movement renewed its call for all Lebanese political forces and national and religious authorities to uphold the principles that enabled Lebanon to confront previous Israeli offensives, stressing that the current war does not target any single sect, party, or movement, but Lebanon’s national model, role, and message as a whole.
It also warned against internal divisions and sectarian strife, saying such conflicts serve only the Israeli enemy’s interests, while emphasizing the need to preserve national constants, foremost among them an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression, a full withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, the unconditional return of displaced residents to their villages, the launch of an urgent government reconstruction plan, and the release of detainees.
The statement concluded by affirming that “national unity remains the path to liberation and victory in confronting aggression and preserving Lebanon as a homeland for all its people.”