Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi emphasized in a special interview with "Al-Rai" newspaper that "the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are a clear and direct terrorist targeting of Arab legitimacy," noting that "protecting civil peace in Lebanon does not conflict with the Kuwaiti initiative and its commitments, so the Lebanese government should respond to it without any hesitation."
Below is the text of the interview:
**Q: There seems to be a glimmer of hope regarding the possibility of improving Lebanese-Gulf relations, evidenced by the statements issued by the Saudi and Kuwaiti foreign ministries. What has led to this breakthrough in the crisis?**
- I have never doubted the purity and clarity of Lebanese-Gulf relations and that the Gulf countries, which have embraced Lebanon and cared for its interests, would allow any wall, thick or thin, to hinder Lebanon's relationships with what I call the countries of virtue and goodness, nor that they would accept an insurmountable barrier. Lebanon's relationship with the Gulf countries is akin to that of a younger brother to an older brother, where the younger must exhibit loyalty. There is no doubt that the older brother possesses wisdom and sound decision-making, which is what we have learned from Gulf leadership. Thus, I do not call what happened a breakthrough, but rather a continuous approach based on the embracing of Lebanon by Gulf countries. I have never feared that these countries would abandon Lebanon, convinced as I am of the wisdom of the leaders in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and that their positions always serve Lebanon's interests.
**Q: What I meant was, can you elaborate on the events that led to breaking the silence between Lebanon and the Gulf countries following a crisis that resulted in the recall of ambassadors before Kuwait launched a Gulf initiative with Arab and international support?**
- What has been termed as a crisis is justified from the Saudi and Gulf perspectives. It is the right of GCC countries to highlight the harm and damage inflicted upon them due to the behavior of a specific group from Lebanon. From the case of Minister George Kordahi, to the audacity in drug trafficking to the countries of virtue and goodness, and passing through what the Kuwaiti document indicated regarding the verbal and physical assaults on the Gulf countries that love Lebanon... all these incidents led Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to justly express that such behavior cannot be reciprocated with the care and love they have for Lebanon. The Kingdom, Kuwait, and other Gulf countries have never distinguished among the Lebanese; their kindness has been shared by all, contributing significantly to reconstruction. Even during the July 2006 war, they provided assistance. Additionally, Lebanese residing in the Gulf, working in its countries, belong to all groups and sects. When Gulf brothers vacation in Lebanon, they stay in all areas, and their goodness reaches everyone.
He continued: "It is the right of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to raise their voices and say they are being harmed by groups or policies affiliated with certain elements in Lebanon that support and advocate for the marches and missiles that attack the Kingdom and the UAE and threaten the safety of the people there. What Lebanon did, or what I have done in Lebanon, was nothing more than my duty, according to the constitution, which underscores Lebanon's identity and Arab affiliation, as well as the law, which prohibits any harm to Arab countries and disrupts relations with them, punishing those who do so. I prevented drug trafficking and verbal abuse toward sister countries and their leaders. I did this with conviction in my actions and will continue to do so in defense of the state, which for us is a complete faith and a choice without any uncertainties."
He added: "When I acted according to my conscience and duty in combating drug trafficking and preventing harmful activities toward Gulf countries, I questioned whether I had guarantees for restoring relations with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and others to their former state. I would respond that I am fulfilling my duty and applying the law and constitution, nothing more. Talk of breakthroughs is merely a Saudi and Kuwaiti decision; I never considered for a moment that they would abandon Lebanon. There are many questions regarding this breakthrough and its timing. Is it a result of what the Interior Minister or Prime Minister has done, or is it a fruit of a French role... I say what happened is a Saudi, Kuwaiti, and Gulf decision that I was convinced would happen. We must fulfill our duties and stop pretending as if we dictate to others. At that point, our brothers will reciprocate only with care and goodness. We stand with them and alongside the security of their societies; it is in our interest."
**Q: Are you confident in what you have done to curb drug trafficking operations to Gulf Cooperation Council countries?**
- I am proud of what I have accomplished in preventing drug trafficking to Arab countries, and I will continue this effort indefinitely. But am I confident? There is no confidence in security, which requires monitoring and caution, and any confidence in the security context could lead to vulnerabilities. Our constant and unequivocal understanding is to prevent the recurrence of drug trafficking into Arab countries and to cut off attempts to target and harm them. Our work will be ongoing to ensure our success in this field.
**Q: Your seriousness and perseverance in preventing verbal harm to Gulf countries through opposing activities and forums were noteworthy...**
- What we did was an application of the law and the constitution. Verbal harm, like physical harm, causes damage to souls, despite the resilience of Gulf communities to these campaigns from certain forums; they do not harm Gulf countries as much as they hurt Lebanon and the concept of the state in Lebanon and its societal security.
**Q: The Kuwaiti initiative, which has become a pivot in recent efforts, contains 12 points... Is Lebanon capable of fulfilling the commitments that need to be met?**
- The appreciated Kuwaiti initiative is a Gulf paper, as informed by His Excellency the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Nasser, who honored me with a visit to the Ministry of Interior. Kuwait deserves credit for carrying this initiative and making efforts, along with other Gulf countries, to restore relations with Lebanon to their former state. To restore relations with the Gulf to what we aspire to, we need to address the internal imbalances related to certain groups, policies, and drug-trafficking criminals. I examined the Kuwaiti paper, which is implementable through a clear, explicit, and decisive decision to uphold the law and constitution and adhere to international legitimacy resolutions. We should not hesitate to say that international resolutions must be implemented because respecting international legitimacy is a duty, both in international law and local law, and we must comply with the requirements of Arab legitimacy that provides the umbrella for any positive political development in Lebanon. We must implement international legitimacy resolutions and seek shelter under Arab legitimacy."
He said: "In the Ministry of Interior, I have achieved what pertains to us from the content of the Kuwaiti paper, whether regarding preventing verbal and physical harm or any activities from forums against Gulf countries and all that relates to exporting harm, such as drugs... I have done that since I took office at the Ministry and visited the airport security apparatus, and I continued to do so, before and after the Kuwaiti paper, and I will always do so. Regarding the political points, the government must respond, as it is capable, and the government's decision must be clear and without any hesitation."
He continued: "When there was an attack on UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, I was the first to announce the necessity to clarify matters. The Lebanese conscience must get used to clarity, honesty, and speaking the truth. My position was clear regarding adhering to international legitimacy resolutions. It was also clear when I requested the governors (in the south and Nabatieh) to hold meetings and security councils representing the security forces and citizens, to affirm to the citizens that what UNIFIL is doing is applying international legitimacy resolutions and protecting civil peace, in addition to its significant humanitarian work in serving municipalities and communities. I emphasized to the governors to inform the municipalities that they are responsible for their areas and villages and to revive this societal conscience to contribute to understanding what the UN forces are doing at both the humanitarian and national levels, as the idea of adhering to and implementing international legitimacy resolutions is a culture and a daily practice."
Mawlawi stressed that, based on this, the provisions of the Kuwaiti paper must be implemented, and "I am not among those who advocate negotiation on this issue, claiming that it needs a process and so on."
He considered that "the official Lebanese logic promoted an approach that made the commitment to the provisions of the Kuwaiti initiative and civil peace in Lebanon seem contradictory..."
He said: "The government must commit to and implement international legitimacy resolutions, and it is also the government's responsibility to protect civil peace and ensure its requirements. The matter is linked to will and action. The international legitimacy resolutions issued to protect Lebanon and its people do not endanger civil peace. When I prevented harmful forums toward Gulf countries and removed pictures and banners that insulted Saudi Arabia and the UAE in some areas, neither the security situation nor civil peace was shaken. When a responsible person is clear, transparent, and just, there is no fear for civil peace. When the state treats its citizens justly, across social, political, and security domains, and achieves their interests with constant transparency, civil peace remains robust."
**Q: Despite the Saudi-Kuwaiti welcome of Prime Minister Najib Mikati's statement and the expectation for the return of the Saudi and Kuwaiti ambassadors to Lebanon, along with Saudi humanitarian support through the joint fund with France, what prevents the political relationship from evolving?**
- Instead of thinking about developing the Gulf position, we need to consider what we should do to enhance our position in a way that serves our interest in building the state without causing harm to those who support and care for Lebanon. We are concerned with protecting the communities of our people in the Gulf and adhering to their legitimacy, meaning Arab legitimacy. This is how we develop our position, not through unclear and ambiguous stances. Lebanon must remain a country of loyalty, and we owe great respect to the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and our brothers there.
Regarding the judicial-banking file, he stated: "What is happening in the judicial-banking sphere is due to the failure to implement the law. I have asked everyone in the cabinet to apply the law. In this way, we do not protect banks; we protect people. We do not protect the central bank governor, but rather the institution of the central bank, responsible for the safety of the national currency. Our goal is to protect people, and the means to that is through the law and its proper implementation, considering the implications of every decision made. It is unacceptable for some judges to make illegal, incorrect, and unwise decisions, unrestrained by any controls or regulations. The law is logic written on paper; it is unacceptable for judicial decisions to be unrelated to law and logic, or to be issued based on political and vengeful backgrounds. Judges must be impartial and must consider both parties to the case equally; any favoritism would be a departure from neutrality. A judge must not only be convinced of his impartiality but must convince others of it too. What is happening with some judges has nothing to do with neutrality, clarity, or transparency."
He continued: "Some judges clearly show animosity towards one party, and when a judge exhibits hatred or enmity or any behavior that might suggest bias, he must recuse himself from the case, or else he should be removed from it altogether, which is what Lebanese law, like all laws worldwide, stipulates. What we see today is a judge leaning towards one party and harboring disdain for one of them. This is something that should not exist in the judiciary. What is happening is extremely serious and could lead to social explosions."
Mawlawi concluded: "At the end of the month and the beginning of a new month, and on the threshold of the blessed month of Ramadan, the way the banks are closed could lead to a significant disruption in all sectors, resulting in citizens and security forces being unable to pay their salaries... Lebanon cannot bear this; it is naïve to hide behind the law because the law has nothing to do with them."
