Lebanon will not normalize with 'Israel': Berri
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Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri launches reconstruction efforts in South Lebanon, warns against election delays, and reaffirms the resistance’s commitment to the ceasefire.
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Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri gestures to journalists as he welcomes Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides, in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday categorically rejected recent Israeli allegations that weapons are being transferred from Syria to Lebanon, calling them “pure fabrications.”
Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the Islamic Radios and Television Union, Berri emphasized that the United States, with its extensive surveillance capabilities, knows these claims are entirely unfounded.
Berri also reaffirmed that the Lebanese resistance continues to honor the existing ceasefire agreement, questioning the legitimacy of "Israel’s" repeated violations. "Israel", he asked, “when and where has it ever respected a single clause of the ceasefire?”
Addressing the situation along the southern border, Berri asserted that the Lebanese Army is fully capable of deploying and maintaining stability, but its operations remain obstructed by "Israel’s" continued occupation of Lebanese territory, particularly in areas such as the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills.
'The Lebanese will say no to normalization'
In response to internal calls for normalizing ties with "Israel," Berri issued a firm rejection, stating, “The Lebanese people will say no to normalization.”
He also denounced attempts by some factions to blame the Lebanese resistance for the current crisis, asking pointedly: “Is there any nation in the world that would deny the purest page of its history?”
Berri reiterated that indirect negotiations with "Israel" are already governed by an existing mechanism, which can be convened with the participation of civilian or military experts when necessary. This framework, he noted, remains the appropriate channel for addressing border-related issues.
Turning to domestic affairs, Berri reaffirmed that Lebanon’s current electoral law remains in effect, and stressed that parliamentary elections must proceed as scheduled. Any attempt to postpone the vote, he warned, would spark “a political confrontation".
Earlier on Tuesday, Berri presided over the first coordination conference for the reconstruction of South Lebanon, marking a critical first step in launching practical efforts to rebuild areas devastated by recent Israeli aggression.
The initiative aims to coordinate resources, stakeholders, and planning strategies to accelerate recovery across southern towns and villages repeatedly targeted in recent months.
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