Lebanon's neutrality is a principle that greatly displeases Hezbollah. It deprives the group of a significant lever and considerably limits its room for maneuvering as an instrument of Iran in the region, not just in Lebanon.
Ahmad Kabalan, the Jaafari mufti and unofficial spokesperson for the pro-Iranian group, has reiterated Hezbollah's rhetoric in a statement on Sunday, arguing that neutrality cannot be applied when “national interests” are at stake — though he did not specify which interests. To support his argument, he claimed that “the world is a jungle where force and brutality prevail over fundamental and communal rights,” which, according to him, makes it essential to implement “national policies that protect Lebanon, surrounded by external threats.” “It is therefore crucial to take a stand for Lebanon, as there is no room for neutrality when it comes to national interests. This is an international and regional reality, and we are not on Mars,” said the mufti, indirectly criticizing the positions of President Joseph Aoun and the government. “The positions announced to revive the country are important, but they are not enough to achieve a true national recovery. Lebanon’s history is complex,” he added.
The mufti was also responding, once again, to Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara al-Rai, who reiterated his call for Lebanon’s neutrality in his Sunday homily.
Al-Rai welcomed the fact that the government had received a vote of confidence from Parliament on Wednesday, stating that President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s ministerial team “now have the responsibility to turn this confidence into reforms, reconstruction, economic revival, the revitalization of public institutions and the achievement of national reconciliation based on belonging to a single nation, Lebanon.”
“Next, the country must move forward toward the implementation of positive neutrality. It is important to emphasize that neutrality does not mean withdrawing from the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) or the United Nations. On the contrary, it implies strengthening Lebanon’s role within these institutions and at other levels so that it becomes a partner in the search for solutions, rather than remaining a victim of divisions and conflicts,” the patriarch continued.
It is worth recalling that Lebanon’s positive neutrality was mentioned by President Aoun in his inaugural speech, as well as by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam when he presented the ministerial statement to Parliament on Tuesday.
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