Since the government's decision to grant the state the monopoly on arms by withdrawing Hezbollah’s arsenal, Hezbollah has kept a firm stance on its refusal to disarm. However, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has taken a lighter approach.
In an interview with the daily Al-Joumhouria on Tuesday, Berri affirmed that “the resignation of the government is not on the agenda.”
He stressed the gravity of the circumstances the country is undergoing, calling on all political parties to demonstrate “the highest degree of responsibility and wisdom.”
The parliament speaker expressed concern about a possible “fitna” (a sectarian discord), which he attributes to Israel’s desire to destabilize the country.
Berri stressed the necessity of “controlling political discourse” and prioritizing dialogue.
His conciliatory tone contrasts with Hezbollah’s defensiveness, witnessed notably in the declaration of its parliamentary bloc leader, Mohammed Raad, “We would die rather than surrender our weapons.”
Comments