Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut, Lebanon Oct. 21, 2024. (Credit: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)
In an interview with Emirati channel Sky News Arabia, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stated Thursday that "the army will deploy in southern Lebanon and will assume full responsibility for maintaining stability, in accordance with Resolution 1701."
"Resolution 1701 is clear and guarantees stability in the South, and that is what the Americans and the French understand. We want to implement it," he said.
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to end the war in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, mandates that only the Lebanese army and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) can be deployed south of the Litani River. Currently, Hezbollah maintains a significant armed presence in that area, which the Israeli army claims to be combating through airstrikes and ground offensives.
Waiting for Hochstein's response
Berri emphasized the need for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon and noted he is awaiting a response from U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein regarding discussions with Israel. He expressed his "fears and doubts" about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's positions and described UNIFIL as a "guarantor of the implementation of Resolution 1701."
Additionally, Berri addressed the reconstruction of areas devastated by the ongoing war in Lebanon, highlighting the country's reliance on "Arab countries' fundamental role" in rebuilding. He expressed "optimism" about the outcomes of an international conference to support Lebanon, held Thursday in Paris.
The conference gathered international support, with pledges of one billion euros in aid to Lebanon, including 200,000 euros earmarked for strengthening the Lebanese Army.
Lebanon 'is not alone'
In a statement, Berri commended “the outcomes of the Paris conference regarding financial support for displaced persons and backing for the Lebanese Army … in preserving sovereignty, particularly in southern Litani alongside UNIFIL and in line with Resolution 1701.” He added, “We are firmly convinced that Lebanon is not alone in facing the existential threat it confronts. It is crucial that the international community adhere to the conference’s outcomes and recommendations to initiate serious humanitarian action.”
Berri also met with Mohammad Reza Shibani, the special envoy of Iran’s foreign minister for the Middle East and West Asia, to discuss the situation in Lebanon and the region.