Beirut: Defense Minister Michel Menassa on Thursday apologized to the families of fallen soldiers, saying he had been unable to defend their rights or make the Lebanese Army's voice heard in Parliament.
According to National news agency - Lebanon, Menassa expressed his regret in a heartfelt statement, acknowledging, "I apologize because your children's blood is a trust placed upon us, and because I was unable to protect their rights as they deserve." His apology highlighted his inability to amplify the Army's concerns at a critical time.
Menassa admitted feeling that he had "let down" the families of the fallen soldiers. He pledged to keep the sacrifices of the fallen in his conscience and vowed to advocate for the Army's right to voice its concerns. "Yesterday, the Army was prevented from speaking, but the blood of its martyrs was not prevented from speaking in my conscience," he emphasized.
The Defense Minister underscored the Army's neutral stance, asserting that it is "not a party to a dispute, nor a card to be used and discarded." Menassa described the Army as the institution in which the country's remaining trust resides, emphasizing its pivotal role in national unity and security.
Concluding his statement, Menassa apologized to the fallen soldiers themselves, promising that "silence will not be our fate, and yesterday's disappointment will not be the end of the story." His words reflect a commitment to ensuring that the sacrifices of the soldiers will continue to resonate and be honored in the country's future.