At the seat of the Beirut Greek Orthodox Bishop, a loud and bold voice has consistently been the true expression of the unity of the Lebanese family, using the language of rapprochement, not division. It has also spoken about just Arab causes, with the forefront being the Palestinian cause. This is the voice of Bishop Elias Aoudi, who is visited by the Tajadod Bloc, who shared with him its aim to protect Lebanon within its attempt of seek greater solidarity among the Lebanese in these critical times Lebanon and the region are going through.
We cannot but reiterate, from this seat, as we have done with each of the religious authorities and political leaders we have met, that bringing together the Lebanese in order to protect Lebanon is the only way to prevent an exposure to a destructive war and is the natural track to support the Palestinian cause. There is no contradiction between these two goals.
We will continue to emphasize the urgent and pressing call to implement Resolution 1701, which provides for the prevention of military actions, ending the equation of the so-called terms of engagement, and ensuring that the Lebanese army and the UNIFIL, exclusively and strictly, control the borders. Lebanon must be militarily neutralized in order to avoid any pretext for exposing it to the risk of war and destruction.
We will continue to stress that Lebanon is not a field but rather an independent nation and its sovereignty is a red line and its sovereign decision lays solely with the Executive Branch and that any adventure, under any pretext, such as the unity of fields, will lead to the exposure of Lebanon to existentialist risks and will not serve the Palestinian cause.
We will continue to stress that Lebanon is an integral part of the Arab world and the international community, and we will not accept its isolation or the usurpation of its decision. In this context, we value the efforts deployed by the Arabs to put an end to the war, which resulted in the United Nations resolution to stop the suffering in Gaza. We call as well on the international community to act earnestly to end this suffering.
The Tajadod Bloc reaffirms these steady principles and notes the phenomenon of the spread of calls for arming under the pretext of resistance, which is happening in Beirut and many other areas. These calls are dangerous and unacceptable, as the Lebanese army and legitimate security forces are responsible for the citizens’ security. We reject the legitimization of armed groups, as this would initiate chaos; and call the army and the security forces to take immediate action and enforce the law to prevent the spread of weapons and their bearers, in order to avoid turning Lebanon into a hotspot of chaos.
The Bloc emphasizes the need to protect Lebanon, which requires keeping the military institution away from the political disputes and preventing vacancies in its leadership so that it may continue its mission of maintaining stability.
The Tajadod Bloc will carry on its contacts and meetings with all political forces and authorities. As a diverse political and parliamentary component, we consider ourselves part of a broad alliance that rejects exposing Lebanon to war. We do this under to the umbrella of the international legitimacy and the constitution. The Bloc will soon present a practical plan to articulate this position in coordination with all.