President Nabih Berri seems assured about the course of the political battle he is waging on the southern front to secure Lebanon’s rights and strategic interests against the Israeli enemy. The paradox is that this battle, despite its difficulty and delicacy, is almost easier than the complexities of the presidential impasse, where both local and external players abound amid conflicting interpretations of the rules of the game! Because Gaza is the key to the missing stability, Berri tells "Al-Jumhuriya" that the proposal presented by U.S. President Joe Biden seems acceptable and can be built upon, although there are a number of observations regarding it. He points out that Biden needs a cessation of the war on Gaza for reasons related to the U.S. presidential elections, as he feels that the continuation of this war has become a pressing factor for him, especially with the recent shift in American public sentiment, as indicated by unprecedented student protests at universities.
Berri notes that there are elements in the proposal that represent an achievement for the Palestinian resistance and a reflection of its steadfastness, indicating that the ball is now entirely in Benjamin Netanyahu's court, who has become embarrassed and cornered. Berri confirms that once a ceasefire is achieved in the Gaza Strip, it will automatically apply to the southern front, and the next day, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein will be here to continue negotiations about the future situation on the border with occupied Palestine. Berri reveals that he had made significant progress in understanding with Hochstein on some foundational principles for any final agreement, particularly regarding the withdrawal of the Israeli enemy from the border points it still occupies, calling on some theorists to distinguish between the issue of regaining our land rights and the issue of border demarcation, which is beyond any discussion as it is established and finalized.
The Speaker of Parliament emphasizes adherence to Resolution 1701 as the sole regulator for "the day after" the war on the Lebanese front, stating: "This resolution was made here in my office, and we are committed to it based on its balanced implementation, given that the Israeli entity has violated it tens of thousands of times since it was issued in 2006. It is required under the terms of the resolution to completely stop violating our sovereignty on land, sea, and air, and to withdraw from the occupied Shebaa Farms and Kfarshouba Hills, and we will likewise implement what we must."
Berri asserts that he negotiates from a position armed with the strength of justice and the field alike, adding: "We cannot accept to defeat ourselves while we are strong; thank God, all indicators suggest that Lebanon will emerge from this confrontation victorious for its legitimate rights." As for the presidential file, Berri confirms that he has been flexible and responsive to the efforts of the quintet committee, explaining that they asked him to replace dialogue with consultation, to which he did not object, informing them as well as the French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian that consultation, communication, meetings, and deliberation are all synonyms for dialogue, and there is no problem.
Berri notes that he previously organized a consultation session in Ain El Tineh among political forces before going to the Doha conference in 2008, indicating that there is prior experience in this area. However, Berri stresses at the same time that there are constants he cannot compromise on, which are not mere formalities as some may assume but rather institutional rules, pointing out that the natural place for any consultation is the Parliament, which is an institution with a president, and whoever that president may be is responsible for chairing the consultation session among the blocs, considering that this right is not a personal possession to relinquish, but is tied to the position and its powers.
Regarding his comments on the repeated accusations made against him by the leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, that he is responsible for obstructing presidential elections, Berri replies: "It has become clear that Geagea does not want dialogue or to elect a president for the republic, in an attempt to push towards adopting federalism, which he has not abandoned, and unfortunately, the man still resides in 'Hawzat'."
Commenting on the Lebanese Forces leader’s objection to the government’s decision to grant financial compensation to southerners affected by Israeli attacks, Berri expresses disdain for this strange stance, noting that the people of the south deserve those compensations, which do not exceed one million dollars, as they are paying the price of facing the Israeli enemy on behalf of all of Lebanon, affirming that it is the duty of all of Lebanon to contribute to reconstruction and compensation for losses according to "Al-Jumhuriya."
