Parl. Spkr. Berri defends Resistance arms, warns of Israeli threats

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
Today 18:20

Leader Nabih Berri reaffirms support for the weapons of resistance, criticizes "Israel's" continued occupation, and warns against internal division during a speech marking the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr.

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Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri opens the session to elect a new president at the parliament building in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 (AP)

“The weapons of resistance are our honor and pride,” Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri affirmed, reiterating openness to calmly re-discussing the matter. He emphasized that “the [Israeli] entity insists on not withdrawing from Lebanese territory, and it is not permissible to throw the ball of fire into the court of the Lebanese army, the country's stronghold.”

Berri rejected “threats, violations of the constitution, and disregard for the constitutional declaration and ceasefire, which represent the executive framework,” addressing a message to the Lebanese people: “Have you not seen that Netanyahu's position, boasting that he is on a historic mission to achieve the dream of [Greater Israel], which includes Lebanon?”

"منفتحون لمناقشة سلاح المقاومة الذي هو شرفنا وهو عزنا وذلك تحت خطاب هادئ."

كلمة رئيس مجلس النواب نبيه بري بمناسبة الذكرى الـ47 لتغييب الإمام السيد موسى الصدر ورفيقيه #الميادين #لبنان pic.twitter.com/6SSuztf0Hr
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 31, 2025

Imam Musa al-Sadr’s disappearance, national significance

Speaking on the 47th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his companions, Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoub and journalist Abbas Badreddine, Berri paid tribute to the martyrs, "especially those who rose during the recent war that continues to target Lebanon, foremost among them Sayyed Nasrallah."

He stated that "the crime of kidnapping the Imam of the nation and the resistance alongside his companions goes beyond the disappearance of individuals and is an attempt to kidnap Lebanon's message.”

On the 47th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Sayyed Musa al-Sadr and his two companions, Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri paid tribute to all martyrs, especially those who fell in the recent Israeli war on #Lebanon, foremost among them the Ummah's Martyr Sayyed… pic.twitter.com/34jwhT4BX9
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 31, 2025

Ongoing Israeli violations

Berri reiterated that “this is not the time to rub salt in the wounds or dance on the ruins,” warning of efforts aimed at prolonging aggression and exploiting instability. He cautioned that some are betting on war to disrupt Lebanon’s internal balance to fulfill their goals, “even if it is on the back of an Israeli tank.”

Warning against sectarian incitement, he added, “The sample that targets a fundamental sect is not at all like Lebanon, and beware that ignorance and intolerance come together to become behavior that leads to ruin.”

He condemned “the rhetoric of hatred that has begun to creep into people's minds and is being given a platform on television and in the media,” describing such discourse as more dangerous than the weapons of resistance that had liberated the land.

Regarding the ceasefire agreement, Berri emphasized that Lebanon had fulfilled its obligations, while “the entity has not complied with any of its terms, but rather expanded its occupation and continued its aggression.” He insisted that “the entity continues to refuse withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and it is not permissible to throw the ball of fire into the court of the Lebanese army, the stronghold” of the country.

Rejection of external pressure, defense of national sovereignty

Berri clarified that the destruction has not been limited to Shiite villages but has also affected Sunni areas, highlighting that many of these communities reflect Lebanon’s Muslim-Christian coexistence.

He claimed that the decisions made by ministers in two cabinet meetings, which approved the clause on the exclusivity of arms in the hands of the state and tasked the Lebanese army with developing an implementation plan, were national, not sectarian.

He warned that the US proposal “goes beyond the principle of the exclusivity of arms to violate the November 2024 ceasefire agreement.”

Concluding his address, Berri declared: “We are nothing but advocates of unity and cooperation, just as we cooperated to achieve fundamental entitlements, including the formation of the government. With these constants, we protect Lebanon, ward off strife, and protect its sovereignty.”