Why Did the Prime Minister Silence the 'Voice of the Lebanese Army'

Members of parliament from different factions expressed astonishment at Prime Minister Najib Mikati's decision to prevent Defense Minister Michel Moallem from delivering a statement expressing the Lebanese Army's position on the amnesty law.

It is a legitimate right for the Defense Minister to speak in parliament, especially since the general amnesty bill is not a government-approved proposal; moreover, the minister is the voice of the Lebanese Army within the government and has full authority to speak on its behalf and defend its rights.

A parliamentary source stated: "The Prime Minister and his allied MPs have taken the Parliament session into sectarian dead ends, turning the amnesty issue into a sectarian demand."

The source added: "It is regrettable what baseless and humiliating remarks are being made about the Defense Minister on social media platforms," asking: "What is the goal behind targeting the army and the Defense Minister? And what lies behind this sectarian incitement?"