(JNS.org) The Lebanese parliament elected Michael Aoun as its president Oct. 31, ending a two-and-a-half-year vacuum that threatened to destabilize the highly sectarian country. Aoun, 81, a retired general from the Lebanese Civil War, is a polarizing figure whose Christian political party, the Free Patriotic Movement, is an ally of the terror group and political party Hezbollah. After taking the oath, Aoun said in a speech he will prioritize political stability for the country. “The Lebanese need their state to protect their rights and obligations and for there to be a president who guarantees safety,” he said. He promised to “release what is left of our lands from the Israeli occupation,” referring to contested areas along the Lebanese-Israeli border.