'If there is no real cease-fire, everything will collapse,' Berri says

BEIRUT — Just hours before the start of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Thursday that if the talks do not produce in a "real cease-fire, everything will collapse."

His comments come as the truce that took effect on April 17 is being violated daily by both the Israeli state and Hezbollah.

"Negotiations begin today at 9 a.m. Washington time. If there is no real cease-fire, that means everything will collapse," Berri told the daily al-Diyar. "We accept nothing less than the withdrawal of the Israeli army, then reconstruction, the deployment of the Lebanese Army, and the return of displaced residents," he added.

Asked about a possible meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joseph Aoun, Berri said that, according to the information he had, this issue "is not being considered" by Aoun

The head of the legislature also stated that the country "needs a regional umbrella, and in particular an Iranian-Saudi understanding or agreement on Lebanon under an American umbrella." Asked whether the required regional umbrella might necessitate a government reshuffle, Berri said he raised this issue during his meeting with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, stressing that the latter indicated "the subject has been set aside and that the timing is not right for a reshuffle." Berri said he agreed with that assessment.

After two preparatory meetings, direct negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv are due to begin Thursday in Washington. Lebanon is insisting on a cease-fire or at least a de-escalation, and an Israeli commitment not to carry out military operation before the "mechanism" is reactivated and the situation returns to pre-March 2 conditions.

Israel, for its part, is putting forward tougher demands, seeking a framework that would include a mechanism tied to the disarmament of Hezbollah.