Beirut protest affirms right to resist, condemns Israeli aggression

A popular march was held on Monday in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, to denounce the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon, where participants reaffirmed the right to resistance and rejected normalization.

The demonstration began on Hamra Street, in central Beirut, expressing collective anger at the continued Israeli assaults on the country and the extended detention of Lebanese citizens in Israeli prisons. The protest also condemned US interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs and rejected the Israeli violations, including daily killings and the systematic destruction of border villages.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that one of the prominent slogans raised during the protest read, “No sect is protected from Israeli aggression.” Protesters affirmed, “We all win when we unite in the face of Israeli aggression,” emphasizing that strong popular backing is essential to reinforce Lebanon’s official position.

They called for unity during this critical period, describing Beirut as “the capital of resistance and Arab steadfastness.”
Speaking from the march, freed Lebanese prisoner Georges Abdallah urged broad participation in such movements, especially “in light of the bloodshed yesterday [from the Israeli aggression on Haret Hreik in the Southern Suburb of Beirut] and earlier in Ain al-Hilweh [Saida].”

Abdallah affirmed that the Islamic Resistance has long been among the foremost advocates for building a national and sovereign state rooted in resistance, and described martyred commander Haitham Tabatabai as a pillar of Lebanese national identity.

In response to the latest aggression on Haret Hreik, Abdallah stressed that confronting normalization is a vital first step in the broader resistance, stating, “Our people will defeat normalization despite all pressure, and we will meet the aspirations of the Arab nation’s masses.”

He further emphasized that the armed resistance remains Lebanon’s primary shield of sovereignty, urging unified support behind the resistance and asserting, “There is no excuse for anyone.”

Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons: A persistent violation
Monday’s demonstration also drew attention to the plight of Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons, an issue many believe is neglected by both the Lebanese government and mainstream media.

Over a dozen Lebanese citizens remain in detention, many of whom were abducted after the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. According to reports, detainees include civilians, resistance fighters, and even humanitarian workers, such as nurse Hassan Youssef Qashqoush.
Many of the Lebanese detainees have reportedly been transferred to underground facilities like Rakefet Prison, notorious for inhumane conditions, including 23-hour isolation, beatings, and psychological abuse.