Salam: Enough with alignments that drag Lebanon into the fires of war

Before the ink on questions about the likely impact of US election results on the negotiation track between Lebanon and Israel under US administration sponsorship had dried, inquiries shifted in recent hours to monitoring what could result from Gadi Eisenkot assuming the premiership of Israel, if he succeeds in forming a government, regarding potential changes in southern Lebanon and areas occupied by Israel, and consequently the course of negotiations between them and Lebanon. While it seems premature for the trajectory of the situation in the south and the negotiation file to become clear before determining the direction of the next regime in Israel, signs of ambiguity are increasing in the region and through it in Lebanon, whose government appears to be proceeding with focusing on internal crises and files away from the logic of waiting and external calculations, as understood from the positions of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in a statement to "Al-Nahar".

In response to a question by "Al-Nahar" about the worrying ambiguity surrounding the situation in Lebanon in light of US and Israeli election results, and rumors circulating that the Lebanese authority is confused and hesitant facing the probabilities confronting the region, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam replied: "It is very regrettable that Lebanese people are being misled by talk about the government's loss or confusion as if it submits to external bets and illusory calculations. Our government rules by virtue of the Constitution, the law, and the parliamentary confidence granted to us twice, not once, and according to its ministerial statement, not any alleged illusions. Facing the probabilities repeated about an unstable situation abroad, we do not spare any means or method, whether through our own strength or through Lebanon's friendships with friendly countries, to maintain a safety net for Lebanon that repels dangers. But this requires more than ever, as I expressed in my statement from Baabda Palace days ago, that we resort to reason and Lebanon's supreme interest. Enough with alignments that would repeatedly drag Lebanon into the fires of absurd wars that will only lead to providing more pretexts for Israel to expand its occupation of the south and persist in destruction, killing, and displacement. Others are those who link their interests to the outside, and others bet on the outside, while I am keen to confirm that nothing protects Lebanon except everyone's commitment to keeping the decision of peace and war and the monopoly of arms in the hands of the state. Whatever the nature of external developments, we are proceeding with this approach relentlessly."

"Al-Nahar" learned that Salam held a lengthy meeting yesterday with Minister of Energy and Water Joe Sadi, in preparation for completing Lebanese-Qatari talks regarding supplying Lebanon with gas and electricity via Syria, which will resume today, Monday, in Beirut. Minister Sadi postponed his visit scheduled for today to Cyprus due to its coincidence with the arrival of the Qatari technical delegation to Beirut for the launch of the fifth round of Lebanese-Qatari discussions around the Qatari energy proposal.

'Al-Nahar'