Recent statements made by Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib in the caretaker government, in which he rejected Hezbollah's withdrawal to the north of the Litani River, linking it to a solution that includes liberating the occupied Lebanese territories, have provoked discontent among opposition forces. They view such stances as fully aligning with Hezbollah's position and will, which does not serve Lebanon's supreme interests and exposes the country to an unmanageable war. The opposition had previously objected to statements made by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, where he rejected a partial solution that involves Lebanon without Gaza, arguing at the time that it was transferring the Cabinet's decision to Hezbollah.
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Ghada Ayoub stated that the current government is Hezbollah's government and speaks in its name, noting that both the president and the foreign minister make statements by day that change by night to cover up their transformation into the party's spokespersons. She highlighted that these contradictory positions, starting from Mikati’s comments linking Lebanon's fate to the Gaza war to the foreign minister's stance on Hezbollah's inability to withdraw from southern Litani and hand over the area to the Lebanese army, are part of a cover for Hezbollah's current situation in the south. Ayoub told "Asharq Al-Awsat": "Bou Habib has become the official spokesperson for Hezbollah, which is unacceptable to all Lebanese who do not want war and only wish to build the state and restore state sovereignty over its territories, starting from the Lebanese borders and implementing international resolutions, the most notable of which is 1701. Maintaining the new rules of engagement established by Hezbollah is a responsibility specifically borne by the foreign minister and the government as a whole, which opens the door to an open war whose repercussions cannot be managed."
Ghada Ayoub warned that Bou Habib’s position may be considered the official stance of the Lebanese government and amounts to a declaration of war following openly rejecting the implementation of international resolutions. She emphasized the necessity of electing a president that leads to a new authority that accurately represents Lebanon's official position rather than those who usurp the state's decision.
For his part, MP Michel Douaihy from the Change Alliance bloc stated that Bou Habib's stance is illogical; the central decision in such a sensitive issue should originate from the central authority. Unfortunately, even the current government, as a caretaker government, exceeds its legal and constitutional powers, especially as it does not hold the trust of the current parliament and is trying to involve the Lebanese in decisions they do not want. He pointed out in a statement to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that the Cabinet has become an intermediary between regional and international forces and Hezbollah, while the Lebanese state is the greatest absentee in this phase where major settlements are being crafted, which the country should have been a key player in through a new president and legitimate government.
He added: "Lebanon is stronger and capable of supporting and assisting the Palestinians in international forums if it were a strong and cohesive state, not as it is currently in a state of collapse. Moreover, continuing to link all domestic issues and entitlements to the war in Gaza only results in further delays in establishing the state." Regarding Bou Habib's call for a comprehensive solution to the situation in the south and linking Hezbollah's withdrawal to the north of the Litani to Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories, Douaihy remarked: "Implementing resolution 1701 by both the Lebanese and Israeli sides is a protection for Lebanon and the Lebanese, especially for the people of the south. Therefore, it is our duty to implement this resolution, especially as we face an extremist right-wing Israeli government that we witness committing atrocities in Gaza. Thus, if Israel insists on not implementing the international resolution, we should head to the international community through a president and legitimate government to hold Israel accountable."
Lebanese Forces MP Nadim Gemayel also launched a fierce attack on Bou Habib, considering him a model of a traitorous minister who has abandoned his national principles. In a statement on the X platform, he said: "The end of your career is dark and disgraceful, an insult to your family, village, and country." Gemayel questioned: "What foreign ministry does someone represent who does not recognize Lebanon's sovereignty and its institutions and military? Your words do not represent Lebanese legitimacy, nor are they worthy of a foreign minister; your words are that of a spokesman for Hezbollah militia."
