The Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, stated on Thursday that “Lebanon does not seek war,” emphasizing the country’s commitment to implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
During discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides at Ain el-Tineh, Berri condemned Israel’s actions in southern Lebanon. He criticized Israel’s use of internationally prohibited weapons, targeting civilians, the media, agricultural areas, and ambulances.
Berri expressed Lebanon’s willingness to pursue discussions on the implementation of Council Resolution 1701 once a ceasefire truce in Gaza is reached.
He also emphasized the pivotal role of UNRWA in supporting Palestinian refugees and urged countries to reconsider their decision to halt funding.
As a reminder, several countries froze their aid to UNRWA after Israel accused a dozen of the agency’s employees of participating in the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas. Some countries have recently announced resuming their contributions.
Regarding the issue of the Syrian displaced, Berri proposed the formation of a joint commission between Lebanon and the European Union, tasked with monitoring the developments of the visit and meetings held on Thursday between von der Leyen, Christodoulides, and Lebanese authorities. The president of the European Commission welcomed the proposal.
