logo
Tuesday's cabinet session: Latest developments

Tuesday's cabinet session: Latest developments

Nahar Net2 days ago
The call for Tuesday's crucial cabinet on Hezbollah's arms 'was not preceded by any agreement, seeing as contacts intensified after PM Nawaf Salam declared the date,' political sources said.
'There is no final agreement on an exit for the session and Hezbollah is linking its participation to the outcome of talks, while showing openness to a formula that would approve arms monopolization,' the sources told Al-Jadeed TV.
'Hezbollah and the Amal Movement have agreed to have a common stance on the session, which means to attend, not attend or boycott the government if needed,' the sources said.
'MP Mohammad Raad agreed with Speaker Nabih Berri to carry out contacts to contain the repercussions of Tuesday's session, and he discussed its agenda with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda and it was agreed to work on avoiding any domestic deterioration,' the sources added.
The sources also revealed that 'a meeting is expected between the president and the parliament speaker to discuss the course of Tuesday's session and the best scenario to tackle the file of arms.'
Informed sources meanwhile told Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV that the meetings of Raad with Aoun and Wafiq Safa with the army chief had been scheduled prior to the president's Army Day speech.
'Hezbollah's stance in the two meetings was clear and firm: Hezbollah knows the magnitude of pressures and is ready for discussions,' the sources said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

On the eve of government meeting, Hezbollah says 'resistance is the only choice and support for the Lebanese Army'
On the eve of government meeting, Hezbollah says 'resistance is the only choice and support for the Lebanese Army'

L'Orient-Le Jour

time2 hours ago

  • L'Orient-Le Jour

On the eve of government meeting, Hezbollah says 'resistance is the only choice and support for the Lebanese Army'

On the eve of the Cabinet meeting focused on the disarmament of armed factions in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, the party released a video Monday night in which it said that resistance was "the only choice and support for the Lebanese Army." "The disarmament of Hezbollah is a deliberate Israeli goal. We reaffirm that we are always ready to discuss any national defense strategy," can be heard in the video titled "Our choice is resistance," with the voice of the former head of the party, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed last September by an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut. The video continued with words from Hezbollah's current secretary-general, Naim Qassem, who stated that "the protection of Lebanon's sovereignty and the liberation of its land, the cessation of any form of Israeli aggression, and the use of the strength of the resistance and its weapons within the framework of a defense strategy that allows us to free our land and protect the country." "We reject any measure that weakens Lebanon ... Resistance was created out of necessity: to confront [the Israeli enemy]." "It has turned out to be the only choice and support for the Lebanese army," the video said. Hezbollah continues to denounce any pressure regarding its disarmament before an actual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, pointing to what it considers Israel's failure to abide by the truce agreed upon last November. The group also warned against the manipulation of the issue, which it says could turn the matter into a "Lebanese-Lebanese" problem, while Lebanese authorities are calling for a clear decision regarding the state's monopoly over weapons.

Individuals close to Hezbollah want justice for Aug. 4, but without 'games of nations' or 'politicization'
Individuals close to Hezbollah want justice for Aug. 4, but without 'games of nations' or 'politicization'

L'Orient-Le Jour

time2 hours ago

  • L'Orient-Le Jour

Individuals close to Hezbollah want justice for Aug. 4, but without 'games of nations' or 'politicization'

Shiite cleric Ali Fadlallah and Jaafarite mufti Ahmad Qabalan, known to be close to Hezbollah, stated on Monday the need for justice in the investigation into the Beirut Port explosion, as Lebanon marked the fifth anniversary of the tragedy. They warned, one against potential foreign interference in the case, the other against its "politicization." Hezbollah is often pointed to, particularly by its detractors and in journalistic investigations published in recent years, as being behind the ammonium nitrate cargo that caused the Aug. 4, 2020, explosion. The party rejects these allegations and considers the investigation led by investigative judge Tarek Bitar to be politicized. Bitar has not summoned any Hezbollah officials, but he has questioned several former officials or ministers belonging to or seen as close to the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, such as former ministers Youssef Fenianos (Marada) and Ghazi Zeaiter (Amal). In 2021, a protest by supporters of the two against the judge's investigation escalated into deadly gunfire as protesters passed through the Ain al-Remmaneh neighborhood, known to be close to the Lebanese Forces. Fadlallah stressed that the memory of the Beirut Port explosion was a "national and human cause that concerns all Lebanese," calling to "avoid sectarianizing, politicizing, or using it in internal power games." "Let everyone be committed to achieving justice and truth, away from procrastination and evasions, so that those proven to be involved are punished and so that this tragedy never happens again in this country," he added. 'Protecting Lebanon from the games of nations' Qabalan said that "the port explosion is not just a catastrophe, but the moment when a country crucified on the cross of international and regional crises is laid bare." "I can only raise a resounding cry for Lebanon, for justice, for the martyrs of the port, and for all those affected by this catastrophic explosion," he said in a statement. "I especially address this cry to Liliane Shaito, a wounded woman, with all the anguish of a mother who longs to see her son Ali," he added, referring to this mother who was injured on August 4 and whose husband took away her son after the explosion. "This right is the most sacred of her rights and the most imperative duty of the official authorities responsible for guaranteeing the right to motherhood and allowing this mother to communicate with her son, even if only by videoconference," urging that this right be guaranteed for Liliane, her family, and her son Ali. "This is a humanitarian issue," he said. Drawing a parallel between Shaito and Lebanon, he said that "Lebanon is a wounded homeland, a tormented partnership," and that "nothing is more important than protecting Lebanon from the games of nations." The Beirut port explosions killed 235 people, injured more than 7,000, and destroyed a significant part of the Lebanese capital. Five years later, no official has yet been prosecuted, due to political interference in the investigation led by Judge Tarek Bitar.

Israeli army spokesperson denounces 'Hezbollah's central role' in the Aug. 4 explosion
Israeli army spokesperson denounces 'Hezbollah's central role' in the Aug. 4 explosion

L'Orient-Le Jour

time2 hours ago

  • L'Orient-Le Jour

Israeli army spokesperson denounces 'Hezbollah's central role' in the Aug. 4 explosion

On the fifth anniversary of the deadly explosion at Beirut Port, on Aug. 4, 2020, Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, published a message on X Monday in which he vehemently denounced Hezbollah's supposed role. "Five years ago, we were the first to reach out to the Lebanese people, offering sincere humanitarian assistance ... without distinction of religion, denomination or political affiliation," he wrote. "We simply saw a people in distress, and we responded to humanity's call." On the evening of the tragedy, Israel offered humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, with which it is technically at war. "Israel turned to Lebanon through international security and political contacts to offer humanitarian and medical aid to the Lebanese government," Israeli foreign and defense ministries announced at the time. For Adraee, "even at that time, it was perfectly clear who ... insisted on dragging Lebanon into hell." "Hezbollah is the cause of Lebanon's calamity," he stated, accusing the party of having "played a central role in causing the port disaster by storing explosive materials in the heart of the capital." He added that Hezbollah "mocked the helping hand extended to Lebanon, and preferred to throw itself into the arms of the Iranian regime, as usual, even at the expense of its people." Beirut airport and port are considered to have served as transit points for the party's weapons and funds for many years, and it has also largely lost its land supply routes from Syria, following the fall of its ally, the deposed President Bashar al-Assad, last December. Hezbollah has been blamed by its detractors for being responsible for transporting and storing the ammonium nitrate that caused the deadly explosion on Aug. 4, 2020. The party denies these accusations, as the investigation continues and several security and political officials have been charged by Judge Tarek Bitar, some of whom are close to the party. The Israeli spokesperson also reproached Hezbollah for 'deceiving people with slogans of resistance,' for 'turning Lebanon into a hostage in the hands of Iran,' for having 'dragged the country into wars, paralyzed institutions, impoverished people, driven away youth, and contributed to the port explosion.' "We cut off its hands and legs in the last war, and unveiled its truth before the world, and despite that it continues to persist in the calamity of the Lebanese ... as if the destruction of Lebanon was its only project," the Israeli army spokesperson added. His comments come as Lebanon emerged from a devastating war with Israel that severely weakened Hezbollah. Despite the adoption of a cease-fire on Nov. 27, 2024, the Israeli army continues to occupy five positions along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, and carries out almost daily strikes in the south of the country and the Bekaa Valley. Adraee concluded his message by saying: "We were, and we will remain with the Lebanese people, but is the Lebanese people with itself?" His post was accompanied by a screenshot of a message he had already published on the same platform, dated Aug. 4, 2020, illustrated by a photo of the Lebanese and Israeli flags side by side. He wrote: "On instructions from the Defense and Foreign Affairs ministers, Israel reached out to Lebanon through security, political and international channels, and proposed humanitarian and medical aid. Israel has great expertise in these areas, as evidenced by the many humanitarian missions it has conducted around the world in recent years. It is time to put aside all conflicts." On Aug. 4, 2020, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history devastated entire neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital, leaving 235 dead and 6,500 injured. This disaster, which has become a symbol of a culture of impunity, was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer were stored without precautions, despite repeated warnings to the highest officials. President Joseph Aoun said Monday that the Lebanese state was "committed to uncovering the whole truth, no matter the obstacles or the high positions involved."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store