Cabinet meeting Thursday on Hezbollah disarmament, mass displacement caused by Israeli attacks

BEIRUT — A Cabinet meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday at the Grand Serail to discuss several issues related to the ongoing Israeli war in Lebanon, including Hezbollah's disarmament and the needs of the more than one million people displaced by Israeli attacks and threats, L'Orient-Le Jour learned.

This information was obtained a few hours after a series of meetings at Baabda Presidential Palace between President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

During their meeting, Aoun and Berri reviewed the current situation and emphasized their "rejection of a return to civil war," amid tensions over the disarmament of Hezbollah.

According to the presidency, they discussed the Israeli strikes on bridges linking the south of the Litani to the rest of Lebanon and their "potential consequences," as well as the displacement of more than one million Lebanese.

They "positively assessed" the reception these displaced persons received in various regions and stressed the importance of "national unity and solidarity."

Tensions and controversies have erupted in certain regions over the past two weeks regarding hosting displaced persons, including, most recently, the construction of a reception center near Beirut Port.

Aoun and Berri called for "preserving civil peace and not being swayed by rumors spread by parties who do not wish Lebanon well," according to a statement from the presidential palace, which emphasized "the rejection of the painful experiences of the past, especially a return to civil war."

Asked about the situation in Lebanon as he left the presidential palace, Berri replied, "As long as the president is here, I am reassured."

Lebanese authorities want to launch direct negotiations with Israel to end the ongoing war, an initiative so far rejected by Tel Aviv, as well as by Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement. Berri, head of Amal, has so far refused to name a Shiite representative to the future Lebanese delegation as part of these negotiations.

After his meeting at the palace, Berri also spoke with Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar about all the consequences of the Israeli offensive, in terms of security and military matters, as well as regarding the reception of displaced people.