"Lebanon will not accept under any circumstance, regardless of the pressures, to cede even an inch of its land, a single parcel of its soil, or any of its sovereign rights," said Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday, as reported by al-Markaziya.

Berri argued that Lebanon will use "all available means to protect these rights, preserve them, and liberate what remains of its territory under Israeli occupation."

"The safeguarding of Lebanon is the safeguarding of the south, and its protection is a common national responsibility. It should be a point of convergence and unity, not a point of divergence," he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday that Israel "will not give up" the five positions considered "strategic" that it occupies in Lebanon. Despite the cease-fire agreement that came into effect on Nov. 27, which notably stipulates the gradual Israeli withdrawal from the occupied villages in south Lebanon over an initial period of 60 days, eventually extended until Feb. 18, the Israeli army remains present in south Lebanon at five points along the Blue Line.

Unified mechanism for appointments

"Believe me, if we are united, we can overcome all the challenges Lebanon is facing," Berri said. "Through unity, we have triumphed, and through division and fragmentation, Lebanon has endured hardships and dangers that have threatened the very existence of our nation. Today, more than ever, everyone is called to strengthen the spirit of unity and consider all actions that bring the Lebanese closer while distancing from those that could divide them."

On internal issues, following the initial military and security appointments, the speaker expressed hope for "the adoption of a unified mechanism for administrative appointments, in accordance with the criteria of competence and integrity."

He added that "the current pace of work, whether in terms of appointments initiated by the government or the reactivation of public administration, will inevitably lead Lebanon on the path out of its crises."

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Regarding the issue of displaced Syrians, he stated that it was "unacceptable for this issue to remain in its current state" and called on "the international community, after changes in Syria, to address this issue as soon as possible, in a way that preserves Lebanon's stability and ensures the return of the displaced to their country of origin, Syria."

Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati made a similar request on Friday, while the Akkar region was hosting 9,741 new Syrian refugees, mostly Alawite, consisting of 2,075 families who fled Syria to Lebanon through illegal points and crossing the Nahr al-Kabir river, which marks the border between the two countries. They were fleeing massacres in the western part of the country perpetrated by militias close to the new Syrian authorities, including the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. More than a thousand civilians, mostly Alawites, were confirmed killed, according to figures from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).