Parliamentary session: After heated exchanges over the war and framework agreement, Berri urges MPs to 'rise to the occasion,' while Gebran Bassil challenges Hezbollah | LIVE

Inaya Ezzeddine: The government did not respond quickly enough to the displacement crisis

Amal Movement MP Inaya Ezzeddine criticized what she described as the government’s slow response to the influx of displaced people since the first day of the resumption of the war on March 2. “The government’s response in providing shelter for displaced people was not as swift as expected,” she said, arguing that “a crisis of such magnitude cannot be managed in the way it was.”

The MP also questioned the Cabinet’s plans “to address the social and demographic consequences” of the Israeli attacks.

Berri urges MPs to avoid disputes and 'rise to the occasion'

After several tense exchanges over the war and the framework agreement, Berri called on MPs to “rise to the occasion.”

Bassil criticizes a state 'subservient to foreign powers' and Hezbollah, which 'can no longer defend Lebanon'

Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil criticized both the Lebanese state and Hezbollah in his remarks, apparently seeking to strike a middle ground. “You promised sovereignty; you have become a government subservient to foreign powers. You promised to preserve civil peace and ensure a monopoly on weapons: where do we stand now? There is no national defense strategy. And you promised reforms: where are they?” he said, addressing the authorities.

The Batroun MP nevertheless reiterated his support for “negotiations with Israel,” arguing that “Hezbollah’s weapons can no longer defend Lebanon.” “We support your decision to ensure a monopoly on weapons, provided that it is done without strife,” he said. “But we do not want negotiations to serve as cover for the continuation of Israeli attacks” on Southern Lebanon, he added. The MP said he was “in favor of a truce agreement and a peace agreement, but not a surrender.” He also asked Hezbollah whether the party “must ask itself how to stop the killings and destruction.” “Were the Ali Taher hills not enough to reach a cease-fire?” he asked.

He also called on the state not to “become involved in tensions between Iran and the Gulf countries” and to preserve relations with those countries.

His speech came after an exchange with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri over the length of MPs’ speaking time. “This is not a question-and-answer session, but a general debate session. Next month, we will hold a session to question the government,” Berri said.

Firas Hamdan: 'We have called for the preservation of Nabatieh because people fear destruction'

Opposition MP Firas Hamdan, for his part, stressed that he had “called for the preservation of Nabatieh, because people fear destruction, forced displacement and occupation,” a week after the Lebanese Army intensified its deployment in the capital of Jabal Amel following deadly Israeli strikes, and amid Israel’s takeover of the Ali Taher hill.

“We can no longer tolerate any more escalation. The heart of the problem lies in the six rockets that were fired, aligning with foreign agendas, and the occupation of 500 square kilometers of our territory,” said the MP for the Hasbaya district. “We are not asking you to hand over the regions to the enemy, but to return decision-making authority over the country to the state, of which you are a part,” he said, addressing Hezbollah.

Elias Bou Saab: 'So far, we have not understood what the framework agreement is'

Speaking during the session, Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab focused his criticism on the framework agreement signed in late June between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. auspices. “So far, we have not understood what the framework agreement is. We would like the prime minister to explain to us what it entails and what we hope to achieve through it,” he said.

Following the dispute, he also said that “if we are starting like this, then the speculation and reports circulated in the media about divisions [within Parliament] were not innocent, but premeditated.”

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, behind-the-scenes efforts had been undertaken by Nabih Berri to ensure that tensions related to the war and the framework agreement would not cause the session to collapse.

Dispute erupts in Parliament after Hezbollah MP seeks to respond immediately to Salam

In violation of Parliament’s rules of procedure, Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar sought to respond immediately to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, beginning a speech criticizing him. Independent MP Paula Yacoubian, a critic of the Iran-backed group, then interrupted him to point out that this was a violation of the rules.

“Stay within your limits,” Ali Ammar told her. “Speak politely,” Paula Yacoubian replied. “Be polite,” the Hezbollah MP retorted. “Have some self-respect,” she shot back.

Heated exchanges then broke out between MPs aligned with Hezbollah and those opposed to it, before Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab took the floor.

'The state needs to spend better, not more,' Salam tells lawmakers

As the government has been reviewing the draft 2027 budget since last week, ahead of submitting it to Parliament, Salam said that “the state is not being asked to spend more, but to spend better.” “That is what we are working toward. We want a fiscally responsible budget that provides social protection, supports growth and stimulates investment,” he said.

He also expressed hope that Parliament would begin examining the draft law on the financial gap, or “gap law,” which “will complete the framework needed to resolve the financial crisis.” “We will not be able to restore growth and confidence without completing the financial and banking reforms,” he added, as an International Monetary Fund delegation is expected in Beirut on Tuesday. In this context, he stressed “the importance of reaching an agreement with the IMF, as such an agreement is an indispensable lever for restoring international confidence in Lebanon.”

Salam: Our goal is to enable displaced people to return to their homes

Salam reaffirmed that his government’s objective is not to “manage population displacement,” but to “enable residents to return to their homes” in southern Lebanon, where more than 600 square kilometers are currently occupied by Israel and dozens of villages have been razed. “We have defined our priorities and are working to restore essential services in the affected areas,” he added.

However, he said, the scale of the destruction “far exceeds the state’s ability to address it alone with its current resources.” He therefore reiterated the authorities’ need for “external support and funding.”

Salam: The state did what it could, within the limits of its capabilities

Following this assessment, the prime minister responded to “those who have allowed themselves to exploit the suffering of the population to question the state’s presence”: “The state was strongly present and did what it could, within the limits of its capabilities.”

Referring to rising prices for basic necessities, Salam said he was “aware of the suffering of Lebanese families.” According to him, these difficulties, which are “the result of accumulated crises,” have been “aggravated by the war.” “But we will not resign ourselves to this reality,” he assured.

Salam before MPs: Our reality is difficult, but it is not impossible to overcome it

Addressing lawmakers, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam spoke about the consequences of the war that resumed on March 2, following Hezbollah fire toward Israel, a war that Lebanon “did not choose” and about which “we were not even consulted.”

According to Salam, the cost of the war has so far reached “$3 billion to $4 billion,” a figure that does not include the cost of the economic fallout, which amounts to between $4 billion and $5 billion. “The heaviest cost remains the more than 4,000 people killed and 12,000 wounded” in Israeli attacks, he said. He noted that the overall toll since Oct. 8, 2023, stands at 9,000 people killed and more than 30,000 wounded, with one million displaced and “tens of thousands of homes destroyed.” Overall, the economic cost of the two wars “could exceed $27 billion,” he added.

In light of this situation, he told lawmakers that he would not address them “with a mindset of justification.” “To all Lebanese, I want to speak frankly: Our reality is very difficult, but it is not impossible to overcome,” he said. “We did not choose the war; it was imposed on us,” he stressed.

Parliamentary session opens

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri opened the session shortly after 11 a.m. The session is set to debate the performance of Nawaf Salam’s government. Salam is addressing Parliament to defend his cabinet’s record.

Second policy debate since ... 2017

This is the second policy debate on the Salam government, following the first in July 2025, five months after it was formed. At the end of that debate, the cabinet won Parliament’s confidence by 69 votes to nine, with four abstentions.

It was the first policy debate held in Parliament since 2017.

Session postponed to Tuesday to commemorate assassination of Bachir Gemayel

The sessions were initially scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, but Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel asked Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to postpone Monday’s session because it coincided with the anniversary of the assassination of former President Bachir Gemayel, founder of the Lebanese Forces (LF), who was killed in a bombing in Beirut on Sept. 14, 1982, three weeks after his election.

Berri granted the Christian party leader’s request and rescheduled the two sessions for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Parliament convened by Berri, requested by Bassil: Cabinet’s confidence at stake

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has called lawmakers to two plenary sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday for a policy debate on the performance of Nawaf Salam’s government.

As in July 2025, the debate was requested by Free Patriotic Movement (FPM, Aounist) leader Gebran Bassil. A vocal critic of the government, in which his party is not represented, the Batroun MP has again called for the cabinet’s confidence to be put to a parliamentary vote.