Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri Demands Withdrawal from Accord with Israel
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has become the first prominent figure in the country to publicly condemn the Lebanese government’s agreement with Israel. While Berri has indicated he does not intend to instigate any confrontations aimed at overthrowing the government, he maintains a firm stance against the framework deal, arguing it damages Lebanon‘s national equilibrium.
Sources close to Berri report that he has privately assured Saudi counterparts of his commitment to not participate in any efforts to destabilize the Lebanese government through street protests. Nevertheless, he has reiterated that the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel poses a significant threat to the nation’s core balance.
Berri cautioned about the potential consequences of this agreement on Lebanon’s internal stability, describing it as a dangerous departure from previous understandings and stressing his rejection of any moves toward chaos or internal conflict.
In this regard, individuals who have met with the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament relayed his statement: “Prime Minister (Nawaf Salam) called me and thanked me for calming the people and pulling them from the streets. I told him, ‘Very well, withdraw from this agreement.'”
The report indicates that Berri emphasized that those involved in signing the agreement with Israel have entangled themselves in a perilous situation without realizing they are confronting him and a significant parliamentary bloc. He stated, “Today, they stand before me and a large number of parliament members.”
Nabih Berri reiterated his warnings about the risk of internal conflict in Lebanon, stating, “Those who drafted this agreement are seeking to ignite internal strife, but I do not want it and am striving to prevent the situation from exploding. Even Hezbollah is working to calm the internal situation, but unfortunately, they (the drafters of the agreement with Israel) insist on an accord that is worse than the May 17, 1983 agreement and are seeking strife.”
The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament stressed, “The greatest danger here lies in the attempt to weaken the Lebanese army or to start discussions about dismissing General Rudolphe Hage, the army commander. If they seek to harm the army or its commander, we will never remain silent.”
According to the report, Nabih Berri believes the agreement is designed to undermine the understanding between Iran and the United States and could lead the region and the Islamic Republic into a difficult and potentially prolonged phase. He pointed to a competitive dynamic within the U.S. administration between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance, suggesting this rivalry could have significant regional implications and consequences stemming from internal U.S. tensions and its relationship with Israel.
