Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri received the Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, at the second presidential headquarters in Ain el-Tineh, where they discussed the developments in the political and field situations in Lebanon and the region. After the meeting, Ambassador Moussa stated: "I had the honor of meeting Berri, and the purpose of the visit was to reaffirm Egypt's support for Lebanon during these difficult times and to reject any aggression against Lebanon while emphasizing the importance of calming the situation. In reality, the expansion of the conflict and confrontations brings grave consequences for Lebanon and the entire region."
He added: "I also discussed with Berri the efforts being made by Egypt in coordination with regional and international partners to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. Egypt firmly believes that the root cause lies in Gaza, and we warned from the outset that the Israeli aggression against Gaza would lead to an escalation of violence and confrontations on multiple fronts, which is what has happened in recent days."
Moussa continued: "We are trying, through our cooperation with partners, to reach a ceasefire and, God willing, this will reflect positively on Lebanon." He further stated: "I also reiterated to the President of the Council Egypt's position that warns against resorting to political assassinations and the consequences of such an approach, which would lead us into a vicious cycle. This stance is extremely dangerous, and the policy of action and reaction is, in fact, a policy that yields no benefit except more violence and increased risks on various fronts."
He concluded: "I also spoke with the President about Egypt's belief that the international community and international partners must take responsibility through the Security Council to issue a binding resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza and consequently calm on all fronts, especially the southern Lebanese front."
Berri also reviewed current developments and political updates in the region during his reception of British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Defense Minister Jon Healy, and the accompanying delegation, which included senior advisors from the foreign and defense ministries, in the presence of the British ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell, and Lebanon's ambassador to the UK, Rami Mortada, as well as Berri's media advisor Ali Hamdan. They discussed the overall situation and political developments in Lebanon and the region in light of Israel's ongoing aggression against Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
The British ministerial delegation reiterated their country's interest in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, expressing serious concern regarding the recent escalation and noting that any miscalculation of this escalation could lead to a widening of the war in the region. For his part, Berri reaffirmed that Lebanon does not want war, but at the same time is prepared to defend itself, and that over the months, his efforts and initiatives with all countries interested in Lebanon aim at reaching conditions that allow for the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which Lebanon has committed to since its approval. He sees the opportunity to implement it through a permanent halt to aggression on Gaza or through a truce for weeks. The Speaker of the Parliament pointed out that Israeli arrogance in rejecting all proposals and intensifying its breach of engagement rules and assassinations is dragging the region toward irreparable dangers.
