Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri chaired a meeting for the "Development and Liberation" parliamentary bloc, attended by all its members, to discuss political and field developments as well as legislative matters. After the meeting, the bloc issued a statement read by MP Ayoub Hamid, which included:
"First: On the eve of the 18th anniversary of the July 2006 aggression, which this year coincides with the continuation of the Israeli entity's aggression against Lebanon for over nine months, particularly targeting its cities, villages, and towns in the south alongside the occupied Palestine, transforming dozens of villages from Naqoura in the west to the Heights of Al-Arqoub in the east into a testing ground for all types of internationally prohibited weapons, especially phosphorus, cluster, and vacuum bombs. These attacks have systematically targeted agricultural and forested areas, residential neighborhoods, educational and health facilities, and civilians, reflecting the aggressive nature of the political and military levels within the Israeli entity, in a desperate attempt by the enemy to achieve security and military gains that it failed to secure during its 33-day aggression in 2006. The bloc, on this occasion, extends its pride and appreciation to all the resistance fighters and martyrs and to all Lebanese people, especially those in the south, who thwarted the objectives of the Israeli aggression on that date, and they continue today with the same determination, steadfastness, and sacrifice to fulfill their national duty in resisting any new Israeli attempts to reapply its expansionist, divisive, and racist projects against Lebanon and the region.
In this same context, the bloc reiterates its commitment to and adherence to UN Resolution 1701, which was issued around this time 18 years ago and has since been subjected to over 33,000 Israeli violations of its clauses and of Lebanese national sovereignty on land, sea, and air. The bloc welcomes any international efforts that require Israel to cease its aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and thereby to stop its aggression against Lebanon and its violations of this resolution's terms, pressing it to apply it literally, while reaffirming absolute rejection of any discussion or proposal to establish buffer zones on any part of Lebanese sovereign territory, neither in the south of Litani nor in the north.
The bloc also calls on the Lebanese government to rush to implement all its issued resolutions, especially those related to supporting the resilience of our people in their villages or in their places of displacement, as well as disbursing compensations to the families of all the martyrs who fell defending Lebanon.
Second: Regarding the political issue connected to the presidential election file, the bloc affirms that while it condemns any infringement or disdain or disregard for presidential positions and their powers and roles, it will not pay any attention to the campaigns of slander and defamation against the Speaker of the Parliament and his role and powers, as these campaigns are undoubtedly distasteful and have transparent objectives. They will not change our convictions and belief that Lebanon, based on its existence and unique spiritual and political makeup, is a homeland of dialogue and daily interaction among its various spiritual and political spectrums. Why is there fear among some of the essence of Lebanon's existence, which is dialogue? Why portray dialogue or consultation as a scarecrow or as a bypass of the system and constitution?
The bloc welcomes any effort by a brotherly Arab country or a friendly international entity aimed at assisting Lebanon in accomplishing the presidential election requirement, which should be responded to by all parliamentary blocs and political forces with a collective national effort, where everyone agrees on the need to refrain from spite, arrogance, and cancellation, and on recognizing that the nature of the complexities and balances in the parliamentary council and the existing stalemate necessitate that there should be consultation and serious dialogue in an open atmosphere under the parliamentary dome and within the constitutional framework, for a few days to reach consensus on one, two, or three candidates. A dialogue for electing a president for the Republic of Lebanon, ensuring the election leads to the regular functioning of constitutional institutions and adherence to state and institutional logic to prevent their erosion.
Third: The bloc discussed several draft laws and proposals included in the agenda of sub-committees and joint committees, affirming the need to expedite the enactment of laws related to restoring the rights and funds of depositors."
