Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri discussed Lebanese-Palestinian relations and the situation in the Ain al-Hilweh camp in light of recent events during a meeting on Tuesday with member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and member of Fatah’s Central Committee, Azzam al-Ahmad, in the presence of Fatah's Secretary in Lebanon, Fathi Abu al-Aradat, and the Ambassador of the State of Palestine, Ashraf Dabbour.
After the meeting, al-Ahmad stated: "We want nothing but the truth, and we want the Lebanese judiciary to hold accountable everyone who violated the law and participated in the assassination of the National Security Forces commander in the Sidon area, Abu Ashraf al-Armoshi, and participated in the fabricated clashes that occurred in some areas of Ain al-Hilweh, as well as in some neighboring Lebanese areas, which led to the displacement of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinian families."
He added: "We agreed with President Berri that it is essential to expedite the investigation and hand over the perpetrators to the Lebanese judiciary to take care of them. Lebanon is sovereign and responsible for holding accountable all those who violate the law."
He continued: "Do not be surprised by my words; those who participated with the Palestinians were a small group, and one of them even impersonated a Palestinian with a forged identity, and he is not from the Sidon area and is not Palestinian. Everything is known, and even those participating in efforts to calm the situation might have had negative roles initially, which will become clear to everyone in due time, not now. The important thing is to ensure security, halt the destruction, and facilitate the return of the displaced today rather than tomorrow, and many of them returned immediately after the issuance of the statement from the Palestinian joint action committee."
Berri also welcomed Ali Abu Yassin, head of the political bureau of the Islamic Group, and members of the political bureau Bassam Hammoud and Osama Abu Murad, along with MP Imad al-Haw, where they reviewed the general situation, especially the political aspects and legislative matters.
Following the meeting, Ali Abu Yassin spoke, reaffirming the Islamic Group's position on the necessity of a national dialogue, which he stated should focus on electing a president for the republic to launch institutional operations and constitutional progress.
He added: "We also emphasized the need to uphold the Lebanese constitution and the Taif Agreement, complete the implementation of constitutional provisions, and reject all innovations and discussions or agreements—perhaps deals—that might be made to undermine the constitution, primarily concerning expanded financial decentralization. The constitution stipulates administrative decentralization, and we demand its implementation, but financial decentralization signifies division and undermines the constitution, especially if proposed by individuals who are supposed to be committed to this constitution."
