Nabih Berri: Civil Peace, National Unity, and the Lebanese Army Are Red Lines... The South, with All Its Cities, Villages, and Towns, Does Not Accept Fragmentation

Stressed the President of the Parliament, Nabih Berri, that what Israel seeks is not Hezbollah nor its arms nor Amal Movement nor the Shia community, but rather "chaos," targeting Lebanon in its unity and civil peace, Lebanon as a stark contrast to Israeli racism.

He said in his speech on the anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his companions: "Since 1969, the Imam's argument has remained valid and a sincere call to all Lebanese—fighting Israel requires a national approach beyond regional, party, sectarian, or religious calculations."

He pointed out that "the current phase, with its existential dangers to the south and Lebanon, does not grant anyone the right to act on any sovereign issues under any pretext—whether an 'framework agreement,' 'secret annexes,' or otherwise—and no right to overthrow UN resolutions safeguarding Lebanon’s sovereignty over its entire southern territory under the Lebanese Army’s protection and with support from UNIFIL forces, as well as Resolution 1701."

He affirmed in his speech the principles of Amal Movement and the parliamentary bloc of Development and Liberation, stressing that civil peace, national unity, and the Lebanese Army are red lines that must not be crossed or violated under any pretext, especially the Lebanese Army, stating: "We absolutely reject any questioning or humiliation of the army and its role, and we call for securing all conditions necessary to support it as a national institution that safeguards and nurtures the hopes and aspirations of the Lebanese people."

He affirmed that the south is an inseparable part of Lebanon, considering it the state’s responsibility, along with its military, security, and constitutional institutions, to protect and defend it alongside its people, and to rebuild what has been destroyed and continues to be destroyed by the Israeli aggression. He said: "The south, with all its cities, villages, and towns, does not accept fragmentation between north and south of the river; its geography is not experimental zones for the Israeli occupier to test directly or indirectly. Our army and our civilian and civil institutions under any name will not allow it to become a buffer zone or security belt for anyone, no matter the sacrifices or circumstances. His noble sons have never been war advocates, but guardians of land and honor, and they are victims of Israeli aggression since 1948 and continuing to this very moment."

He added: "We reject any surrender—or as some prefer to call it, 'suspension'—of Lebanon’s state, institutions, or individuals’ right to prosecute Israel for crimes of annihilation committed against stone and flesh in the south, including total destruction of villages, cities, historic urban centers, cultural heritage, educational and health institutions, agricultural areas, and use of internationally banned weapons. Not to mention insults to religious symbols and sites, as occurred in the village of Qozh with desecration of the statue of Lady Maryam (peace be upon her), the demolition of one of Lebanon’s oldest historical mosques—the Great Mosque in the city of Bint Jbeil—and the bombing of the surroundings of the historic Chqif Castle. These are crimes proudly proclaimed by the Israeli Defense Minister, officially and on camera, declaring the complete destruction of 24 cities and villages, turning them into ashes. Surrendering this right is surrendering sovereignty. No one has the freedom to compromise it, as it is a national sovereign right that must never be lost, whether during negotiations, through prescription, or over time."

He continued: "We reiterate our exercise of our democratic right to reject the framework agreement, and we described it as we did, and we remain steadfast in this position. We warned of the dangers of direct negotiations with the Israeli enemy under fire and without national consensus, as many allies and friends have also done. Seven rounds of negotiation—what was the result? The occupied territory expanded, destruction increased, the number of martyrs rose, and Israel continues its war."

He reiterated commitment to the Taif Agreement and the necessity of implementing all its reform provisions, deeming any call to reconsider Lebanon’s political system under labels such as federalism, partition, or other forms incompatible with this document as reckless, uncalculated gambles threatening Lebanon’s existence, civil peace, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

He said: "Regarding developments in the region, we affirm our support and endorsement of all efforts and initiatives undertaken by our Arab brethren, as well as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, to end tensions and establish stability in the Gulf region, preserving the security, stability, and sovereignty of the countries in the region, particularly between the Islamic Republic of Iran and its neighbors within the Gulf Cooperation Council and its broader Arab and Islamic surroundings."

On another note, the President of the Parliament stated: "Imam al-Sadr… has been missing with his brothers, the esteemed Sheikh Muhammad Yaqub and journalist Abbas Badr al-Din, in Libya for forty-eight years. The jailer and criminal has passed away, yet the mindset that inherited his legacy, unfortunately, remains… unchanged in deception, misrepresentation, and lack of cooperation with Lebanon legally, humanely, and ethically—conditions essential to liberate Imam al-Sadr and his companions and uncover the truth behind this national trust."

Berri affirmed that the case of Imam al-Sadr and his companions "has been and must remain a case for all Lebanese. Monitoring it is not solely the responsibility of the Lebanese judicial authorities, but of all official institutions," emphasizing that the ongoing Libyan authorities’ policy of non-cooperation places them in the category of complicity and continued perpetration of this crime, which we will neither forgive nor pardon nor tolerate, nor will we tolerate those who seek to deepen the mystery using all legal means available under Lebanese and international law, especially regarding crimes of enforced disappearance."