Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of Lebanon’s Amal party, voiced support on Friday for national unity, condemning incidents of celebratory gunfire in Beirut last night as the Shia political community navigates its first day of the ceasefire since March 2.
Berri said that indiscriminate gunfire in the capital was incompatible with national cohesion, stating that “every bullet fired into the air is an affront to the dignity of the victims and a violation of divine law and national unity.”
He added that “national unity and civil peace are a red line, and I will not allow them to be crossed under any circumstances,” warning that any act undermining internal stability would amount to an attack on Lebanon itself.
Lebanese Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, who is affiliated with the Amal Movement, echoed support for diplomatic engagement, saying that ongoing discussions in Washington are critical to securing a ceasefire.
“The meeting in Washington today is the key to achieving a ceasefire, which remains our top priority,” Jaber said, underscoring the government’s focus on diplomatic rather than confrontational outcomes.
The political positioning by Amal-aligned figures comes as Lebanon continues to manage internal tensions linked to recent demonstrations. On April 12, supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement took to the streets to protest against direct negotiations, reflecting divisions over the diplomatic process.
The Amal Movement then announced it would not participate in the demonstrations and urged its supporters to boycott them. A report by Nidaa al-Watan said the demonstrations were viewed as a potential “red line” that could destabilize the country.
The report also noted that the protests fell short of the scale intended by organizers to pressure Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government to halt negotiations.
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