Salam: The greatest aid to Israel was provided by the one who uniquely dragged Lebanon into futile "supportive" war adventures

The seventh round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, sponsored by the United States, was held yesterday in Rome to discuss issues related to the implementation of the “Framework Agreement” signed on June 26 of last year. This took place as warplanes flew over the Bekaa, the foothills of Akkar and Hermel, up to the Syrian border at average altitude, coinciding with the flight of drones over Beirut and its southern suburbs.

In this context, the Lebanese Army command announced that it had intercepted, across the northern and eastern borders, “122mm Grad rockets smuggled from Syrian territory into Lebanon in Jdeidet Arsal. Citizens belonging to a smuggling network were arrested, and military ammunition and equipment were seized.”

Amidst this atmosphere, and as Lebanon observed a day of official mourning with flags flown at half-mast on the anniversary of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s response to critics of the “political establishment” who called for halting free concessions and opening a dialogue with the Resistance to repair the internal situation, came to the forefront. Salam stated: “Today, some appear to accuse the political establishment of aiding Israel instead of supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty, and then call for dialogue and unity, as if Lebanese people have no memory. The truth is that the greatest aid to Israel was provided by those who unilaterally dragged Lebanon into reckless ‘support’ war adventures, giving it pretexts to attack our country, trample its sovereignty, destroy its cities and villages, kill its sons, and displace hundreds of thousands.”

Salam added: “One who unilaterally decides on war and attempts to continue usurping state authority, linking Lebanon to external agendas and axes while ignoring the interests of its environment and Lebanese people in general, has no right to distribute certificates of patriotism, let alone sovereignty. Lebanon’s sovereignty exists only through an independent decision by a state with a single army that exercises its authority over its entire territory exclusively through its own forces. As for dialogue and unity, they can only be built on the courage to acknowledge painful truths and to accept responsibility for reckless choices whose heavy costs Lebanese people are still paying.”

He emphasized that the state would remain “a haven for all Lebanese, especially our people who have suffered successive losses. The state remains committed to ending the Israeli occupation of every inch of our land and repatriating all our prisoners, and to ensuring the conditions for the dignified and safe return of our people to their cities, villages, fields, and homes, and to rebuilding them in a way that helps heal the wounds of all families who have lost loved ones and livelihoods. Furthermore, abandoning the language of accusation and being sincere in calling for dialogue and national solidarity is our best path to strengthening Lebanon’s capacity to confront all these challenges.”

On the sixth anniversary of the port explosion, the office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jean Arnault, issued a statement affirming that “despite the passage of six years since the devastating Beirut port explosion, time has not dispelled the suffering of those whose lives were irreversibly changed within a few seconds, nor has it diminished the urgent need for justice.”

The statement stressed that “a disaster of this magnitude must not be closed as a forgotten page in history. Efforts must be doubled to accelerate the judicial process, leading to the completion of the investigation and the achievement of justice. In this context, all concerned parties are called upon to take necessary steps to achieve tangible and rapid progress in the case.”

It added: “The Beirut port explosion serves as a tragic reminder of the broader institutional weaknesses in Lebanon. Hence, it is crucial to ensure an independent, transparent, and impartial judicial process to put an end to the culture of impunity.”

For his part, Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces party, said in a statement: “Our primary consolation this year is that we are promised by the highest judicial authorities that the final verdict in this crime will be issued within a few months, after which trials will begin and the perpetrators will receive appropriate punishment.”