The opposition MPs have issued a statement in response to developments following the armed conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which they believe are “directly linked to Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty.”
Amid concerns about an escalation that could impact the Lebanese people, the MPs emphasized that “Lebanon’s sovereignty is a red line.” They specified that “no faction, especially Hezbollah, has the right to involve Lebanon in conflicts whose consequences it cannot bear.”
“While Lebanon has always been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, for which it has paid a heavy price, the violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty should not be tolerated because this would amount to allowing the Resistance Axis to impose its power in the region,” the statement reads.
The opposition forces called for strengthening the country’s “internal” situation by “quickly electing a president” whose mission would be to unify “all Lebanese around the state’s project, prevent Lebanon’s illegitimate involvement in wars and restore a power capable of facing these challenges.”
The MPs stressed that “the silence of the Lebanese government regarding events in Gaza reflects the hegemony of the Resistance Axis and its allies, which control state institutions.” In this regard, they asserted that “the inaction of the Lebanese government makes it responsible for exposing the country to the danger of war and devastation.”
They categorically rejected the “use of Lebanese territory to serve Iranian interests” and condemned the “escalation in the South, whether by Lebanese or foreign parties.” They also criticized the initiative of “uniting ranks” called for by the Resistance Axis.
“It is unacceptable for Hezbollah or any other Palestinian faction to have the power to decide on war or peace in Lebanon,” the statement continues. “The sovereign decision of war or peace belongs exclusively to the Lebanese state, through its constitutional institutions,” the MPs argued.
It is the Lebanese state’s responsibility “to immediately protect Lebanon by taking the necessary measures to support the Army, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) must implement UN Resolution 1701.”
The MPs ultimately believed that “lasting peace and stability in the Middle East can only be possible through recognizing the legitimate right of the Palestinians to establish their own state, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative adopted in Beirut in 2002.”
