Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reaffirmed on Friday that “national unity and civil peace are a red line that will not be crossed under any circumstances.”
During a meeting with a delegation from the “We Are All Beirut” group, headed by former minister Mohammad Shuqair, Speaker Berri stressed that “any infringement on these two pillars, from any quarter, constitutes a threat to Lebanon’s very existence and a free gift to the Israeli enemy and its projects, which can only succeed through sectarian strife.”
The Lebanese speaker added, “Sectarian strife is dormant—may God curse those who awaken it—especially when it occurs among the same nation, the same identity, and even the same faith.”
“In this context, I reiterate that I am Shiite in identity, Sunni in inclination, and Arab in destiny,” Speaer Berri added in remarks carried by Al-Manar.
He continued, “On the first day of the ceasefire, and as residents begin returning to their villages and towns, I renew my gratitude to Beirut, which—along with Mount Lebanon and the North—opened its doors and neighborhoods to those displaced from the South, the southern suburbs, and Bekaa.”
Addressing the delegation, Berri also voiced his strong condemnation and rejection of the recurring phenomenon of gunfire celebrating the ceasefire, stating that “every bullet fired into the air poses a danger to innocent lives and threatens people’s property. It is an affront to the dignity of the martyrs and a violation not only of the law, but of all moral and divine principles.”
“Cautious Satisfaction” with Ceasefire
Earlier on Friday, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper published an interview with Speaker Berri, in which he expressed cautious satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement on the Lebanese front, while simultaneously reiterating his rejection of direct negotiations with the Israeli enemy.
He stated that his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, confirmed during a phone call on Thursday morning that the ceasefire was reached through a comprehensive agreement that included Iran.
Speaker Berri stated that the ceasefire agreement was for ten days initially, stressing that he would not call for the return of the people of the south to their villages and homes before ensuring that the appropriate conditions were ripe, “especially since the announcement did not include an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory at this stage,” according to the paper.
The ceasefire in Lebanon took effect at 00:00 on Friday. Shortly after, southerners started to return to their towns and villages across southern Lebanon defying Israeli threats to avoid returning to areas south of the Litani River.
Epic images and videos showed people crossing the Qasmiyeh Bridge which was bombed repeatedly by the Israeli enemy through out 45 days of brutal aggression.