A delegation from the Beirut Dialogue Forum, headed by MP Fouad Makhzoumi, visited the Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, at Dar al-Fatwa. The delegation congratulated His Eminence on the upcoming Eid al-Adha, expressing hope that the holiday would bring goodness and peace to Lebanon and the Arab world. The meeting also addressed several key national issues of concern to the Lebanese people at this critical juncture.

Following the meeting, Makhzoumi affirmed the delegation’s support for the decision by President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun and the government headed by Prime Minister Judge Nawaf Salam to launch negotiations with Israel under U.S. auspices, driven by a commitment to consolidating stability and safeguarding Lebanon’s sovereignty and national interests. He also welcomed the continuation and expansion of these negotiations in a manner that would help resolve outstanding issues and strengthen security and stability in the region, thereby giving all Lebanese the opportunity to rebuild the South and allowing our people to return safely and securely to their homes in the South and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

He also underscored the importance of passing a general amnesty law through a fair and balanced national approach that promotes stability and national reconciliation. The delegation further reaffirmed its full support, as members of the Sunni community, for the Lebanese Army and the security forces, as well as the national role they play in unifying the country and safeguarding stability. The delegation stressed that the amnesty law must apply to everyone fairly and equitably, without selectivity or discrimination.

Makhzoumi also stressed the need to expedite the implementation of state decisions to ensure that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the legitimate authorities, disarm Hezbollah and all militias operating on Lebanese territory, and make Beirut a city free of weapons, where security and stability prevail and which can reclaim its unifying national role. In this regard, he emphasized that the government must translate its decisions into clear and more effective executive measures by ensuring a tangible, more effective, and more visible deployment of the Lebanese Army and legitimate security forces throughout Beirut. The progress achieved so far, he noted, falls short of the expectations and demands of the Lebanese people, particularly the residents of Beirut.

He also highlighted the need to continue implementing the required financial and economic reforms and to establish a clear and equitable plan to return depositors’ funds and restore the confidence of the Lebanese people and the international community in the Lebanese state.