AJ
Political news from Lebanon on Tuesday September 16
Lebanese MP and Leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, stated that Lebanon should support negotiations with Israel, but stressed they should aim to stop the war rather than provide a pretext for its continuation, adding that he supports a ceasefire and peace agreement, but not a ‘surrender.’
Bassil also questioned whether Hezbollah could have handed Ali al-Taher Heights to the Lebanese Army to prevent further destruction, rather than the state having to beg for their transfer, before finally being destroyed by the Israelis.
The MP criticised the government over what he described as failures regarding neutrality, civil peace, and the state monopoly on weapons, but opposed disarmament efforts that relied on foreign powers, instead calling for a national security strategy, and warned against targeting a ‘fundamental Lebanese component.’
Hezbollah’s Parliamentary Representative, Ali Ammar, said he wished the Prime Minister would not adopt a policy of ignoring the history of Israeli aggression against Lebanon, even before the emergence of the resistance: “The Resistance will remain as long as there is an inch of our land occupied,” he warned.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that after successfully restoring Lebanon’s ties with its Arab neighbours, the country was able to increase exports to several Arab countries.
“There will be no security or stability as long as the war continues in the south,” the PM warned, stating that the goal is Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, the release of the prisoners, and the return of the displaced to their towns.
Salam said that Lebanon is not a bargaining chip in the hands of others in negotiations from which it is absent, stating that the decision on war and peace must rest solely with the state, and the success or failure of the negotiations should be judged by their final outcomes.
The PM said it is understandable that some may disagree with the content of the agreement, however, claiming that it entailed new commitments for Lebanon was surprising.
“Direct negotiations with Israel are not easy,” he said: “Lebanon is committed to its sovereignty over all its territory, and its sovereignty requires Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, as well as the extension of the state’s authority through its own forces and efforts to ensure that weapons are held solely by the state.”
Salam continued: “I am not a fan of negotiating for the sake of negotiating,” stating that it is the state’s responsibility to choose the path which is less costly for the Lebanese in order to achieve its objectives: “Negotiations in itself is not a concession of rights, but a means of reclaiming them through diplomatic channels,” he added.
MP Ali Hassan Khalil questioned the Prime Minister, stating that while the PM claimed the agreement reduced the burden for Lebanese citizens, it remained unclear what had actually been reduced.
Khalil asked whether a genuine ceasefire had taken place, pointing out that bulldozing and demolition operations continued while entire villages were being erased from civil registers, and also questioned what progress had been made regarding the return of residents to their villages.
Leader of the National Liberal Party, MP Camille Chamoin, called for considering a federal system and a ‘Third Republic,’ arguing that such a model could strength Lebanon, stressing that Lebanon can revive its national project through unity, despite years of division, saying political principles must ultimately be translated into action, while also criticising the Free Patriotic Movement’s alliance with Hezbollah, saying its principles had diverged from those of his political camp.
Israel’s IDF Northern Command officers have raised concerns that maintaining a static position in Lebanon could eventually become dangerous, because Hezbollah was studying Israeli operations, adapting its tactics, and attempting to operate small guerrilla cells undetected.
The IDF has established a kill-zone between Israeli occupied territory and areas controlled by Hezbollah, with Northern Command Chief Major General Rafi Milo ordering that anyone entering this zone be killed, as Israeli officers assess Hezbollah will soon mount significant response, claiming that Hezbollah were preparing for the next phase by increasing its use of UAVs and fibre-optic FPV drones.
US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa visited Zawtar al-Gharbiyah in southern Lebanon, one of the existing pilot zone designated areas from which Israeli military withdrew to be replaced by Lebanese Armed Forces, serving as a test case for broader implementation of the trilateral framework agreement signed in June 2026, however, ‘Israel’ have not yet abided by the framework of the agreement.
