Berri: National unity and civil peace are a red line that must not be crossed

BEIRUT — Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reaffirmed on Friday that “national unity and civil peace are a red line that must not be crossed, whatever the circumstances.” “Any attack on these two pillars, no matter who the perpetrator is, constitutes an attack on Lebanon’s existence and a free gift to the Israeli enemy and its projects, which can only succeed through discord,” he emphasized, referring to the deep political and sectarian divisions within Lebanon, largely tied to the issue of Hezbollah’s arsenal.

“Discord lies dormant; may God curse whoever awakens it — all the more so if this happens among the children of one country, one homeland, and one identity, or even among members of the same religion. In this context, I reiterate that I am Shiite by identity, Sunni by affinity, and Arab by ultimate belonging,” he added, on the first day of a truce between Lebanon and Israel, in remarks reported by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Nabih Berri made these statements in Ain al-Tineh before a delegation from the Kelna Beirut Democratic Political Movement, headed by former minister Mohammad Shoucair. Shoucair presented the party’s political vision and action plans at the national level and for Beirut.

The Parliament Speaker also reiterated his “thanks to the capital, which opened its doors and neighborhoods to displaced people from the South, the southern suburbs, and the Bekaa, just as the mountain and the North did,” as many displaced residents began returning to their villages on Friday morning.

The head of the legislature also condemned the celebratory gunfire that took place on Thursday night following the cease-fire announcement, “which happens on every occasion.” “Every bullet fired into the air, beyond the danger it poses to people’s lives and the threat to property, is an affront to the dignity of the martyrs and a violation not only of the law but also of all divine laws,” he said, reiterating remarks he had made earlier in the day.

The conflict began when Hezbollah opened a front on March 2 in support of Iran, which was under attack by the United States and Israel during an operation in which the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed. Since then, fighting has raged in southern Lebanon: the Israeli army has advanced into Lebanese territory and razed entire villages, while airstrikes have targeted several regions, causing widespread death and destruction.

Following massive and particularly deadly Israeli strikes on April 9 in the heart of Beirut, Nawaf Salam’s government, under international pressure, decided to “extend state control” in the capital and “ensure the monopoly of arms.” This measure followed the one taken at the outbreak of war in Lebanon on March 2, which deemed Hezbollah’s military activities “illegal.” However, it has largely remained symbolic, while Hezbollah has repeatedly issued warnings of civil war in response to any move toward its disarmament.