2023-12-15 18:01:58
In a session held today, Friday, the Lebanese Parliament approved a law proposal extending the term of the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, for one year, according to the official news agency, which allows avoiding a vacancy in the leadership of the military institution in light of a severe political crisis and the consequences of the war in Gaza.
Aoun was scheduled to retire on January 10, noting that the position of Chief of Staff, who assumes command of the armed forces in the event that the position of commander becomes vacant, is also vacant.
This came in light of a severe political crisis, represented in particular by the vacancy of the position of President of the Republic for more than 13 months, and the presence of a caretaker government that prevents political divisions and laws from performing its duties effectively, leading to almost complete paralysis at the level of decision-making.
The House of Representatives approved a law proposal to raise the retirement age for leaders of the security services who hold the rank of general or major general “for a period of one year,” according to what the National News Agency reported.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said before voting on the project: “All Lebanese, without exception, are with the Lebanese army,” considering that the parliament “can only play its role in this field.” Berri warned that if the extension of the army commander in the House of Representatives was not pursued, “we fear that we will enter into a vacuum.”
“Not affiliated with a political team”
The Lebanese Army has approximately 80,000 members, and it plays an essential role in maintaining internal security, in addition to its spread in the border areas in the north, east and south.
Like other state-related institutions, the army is suffering from the consequences of the unprecedented economic crisis that Lebanon has been witnessing for more than four years, and is relying on in-kind and cash aid from several countries, including the United States and Qatar.
Since the end of President Michel Aoun’s term on October 31, 2022, the political division in Lebanon has prevented the election of a successor to Parliament.
Hezbollah, the most prominent political player in the country and which possesses a huge military arsenal, and its allies support former Minister Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency, while opposition and independent parties and figures have adopted the nomination of former minister and International Monetary Fund official Jihad Azour.
The name of the Army Commander has been mentioned over the past months as a third candidate not directly affiliated with any political team.
For months, the country has been run by a caretaker government unable to make necessary decisions, while the international community requires urgent reforms to provide financial support to help Lebanon recover from its economic predicament.
The political paralysis affected key positions in the state and prevented the appointment of original officials, such as the governorship of the Central Bank and the General Directorate of Public Security.
The extension of the Lebanese Army Commander comes at a time when the southern border is witnessing daily exchanges of bombardment between the Israeli army and Hezbollah against the backdrop of the Israeli aggression in Gaza.
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