Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited the southern city of  Nabatiyeh  on Friday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to restoring State institutions, rebuilding war-damaged areas and helping residents remain on their land.

Salam began his tour at the Internal Security Forces compound in Kfarjoz, accompanied by Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar and several senior security officials.

Speaking at Nabatiyeh Municipality, Salam said his third visit to southern Lebanon was aimed at reaffirming the government’s commitment to the region and turning that pledge into concrete action.

“Every time I visit the south, I am struck by the depth of the pain you are living through and by the responsibility we have toward what you deserve from your state,” Salam said.

“We have worked to secure what is needed for reconstruction and recovery, and I announced from  Nabatiyeh  the start of the reconstruction process. But the war disrupted those efforts and delayed the work. I want to make one thing clear: our commitment to the people of the south and Nabatiyeh has not changed and will not change,” he said.

Salam said he had asked cabinet ministers to visit the south and Nabatiyeh to identify projects that could be undertaken immediately.

The premier announced 23 tenders launched by the Council for Development and Reconstruction for projects in the Nabatiyeh district, including clearing obstacles and debris, repairing roads, rehabilitating shelters and providing ambulances, medical equipment and wireless and satellite communications systems.

Salam said the government was also completing the restoration of the Nabatiyeh Government Serail and would reopen the State Security center and Personal Status Department there, as well as a General Security center. The Palace of Justice would also reopen soon, he said.

“I am here today to reaffirm that State institutions are returning to work,” Salam said. “They are an essential part of bringing this city back to life. They will be there to support its people, strengthen their resilience and help them remain on their land.”

Salam said his government was working to secure the funding needed for a wider recovery and reconstruction plan, but acknowledged that Lebanon's needs far exceed the State's ability to finance them on its own.

“I took your concerns and your needs with me to New York and Washington. They were at the heart of my meetings with the U.N. secretary-general, U.S. officials and the president of the World Bank, as we worked to secure the resources needed to carry out our recovery and reconstruction plan,” he said.

“I am not here to sell you false hopes or promise things I cannot deliver. We still need a great deal of funding. But I want you to know that we are doing everything we can, and will continue to do so, to secure the resources needed to get the south back on its feet,” Salam added.

He acknowledged that the 23 projects being launched were limited compared with the scale of the region's needs, but said they represented tangible steps toward a broader reconstruction effort.

The Council for Development and Reconstruction is also preparing 12 more tenders this month, including projects to rehabilitate five hospitals, among them Nabatiyeh Governmental Hospital, as well as the purchase of rescue and firefighting vehicles and equipment.

The government is also working on contracts to rehabilitate electricity substations and water networks, Salam said.

Restoring State authority

Salam tied the reconstruction effort to a broader objective: restoring the Lebanese State's authority and securing a full Israeli withdrawal from the country.

“Our best guarantee is to keep mobilizing every resource and every bit of support we can to achieve a full Israeli withdrawal and rebuild the State,” he said.

“We need a capable and effective State — one State for all its citizens, with one army and one national decision, especially when it comes to war and peace,” Salam said.

“That is the only way to avoid finding ourselves once again facing another war, new pretexts for attacking Lebanon or a further expansion of the occupation.”

Salam also acknowledged the limits of the government's financial capacity.

“I have a responsibility to be honest with you. I understand the scale of this crisis, but the needs are greater than the resources available to the Lebanese State and what it can shoulder on its own,” he said.

He said Lebanon could not afford to put its future on hold while waiting for a broader regional settlement.

“Waiting for a major regional deal is not an option for Lebanon,” Salam said. “It may happen, it may not happen, or it may take years. And if it does happen, it could come at our expense.”

He posed a series of questions about the consequences of another regional conflict.

“What if another war breaks out in the region? Are we willing to let Lebanon and the south pay the price once again?” Salam said.

“Are we going to keep waiting while our people remain displaced, our land remains occupied, our prisoners remain in captivity and reconstruction remains on hold? Are we going to leave our future in the hands of others and simply wait for them to decide our fate? No reasonable person can accept that.”

Interior minister: State will not abandon south

Al-Hajjar said municipalities across southern Lebanon remained committed to both their communities and the Lebanese state, saying the government was building its efforts around that commitment.

“We want to tell the people of the south that the state will not abandon them,” Al-Hajjar said. “We are doing everything we can to liberate the south, and we hope that Lebanese flags will soon be flying across every part of the region.”

He said the government's overriding priority was to secure the liberation of southern Lebanon and restore state authority through the country's security forces.