Berri Dismisses Israeli War Fears, Calls for ‘7 to 10 Days’ of Dialogue

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has dismissed the possibility of a large-scale Israeli war on Lebanon, emphasizing the urgency to “stop the genocidal war that Israel is waging on the Palestinian people.”

In an interview with the Milan-based Avvenire newspaper, associated with the Roman Catholic Church, Berri stated that “Lebanon does not need new agreements to maintain calm and stability in the southern border area,” pointing out that “there is a U.N. Security Council resolution, number 1701, and Lebanon adheres to all its stipulations.”

“The international community must pressure Israel to stop violating this resolution,” Berri asserted.

Addressing the presidential vacuum crisis, Berri proposed: “Give me 10 days of dialogue among all parliamentary blocs and we will resolve this issue.”

“The goal of the dialogue among the blocs would be to agree on one, two, three, or four candidates within seven to 10 days, so we can convene in parliament and finalize the election with a parliamentary, constitutional, and national quorum,” Berri added.