In the midst of the escalation of military events in Lebanon and the region, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam revealed in an interview with the newspaper “L’Orient Le Jour” the Lebanese government’s vision of how to stop the war and deal with its political, security and humanitarian effects, stressing that Lebanon is ready to discuss all forms of negotiation to end the conflict, while adhering to the idea of ​​restricting weapons to the state.

Salam stated that the government had made every effort from the beginning to avoid the outbreak of war, by constantly calling for calm, pointing out that Lebanon had repeatedly declared that it did not wish to slide into this conflict.

He stated that the government received promises from Hezbollah not to intervene, in addition to promises received through mediators from the Israeli side not to launch attacks against Lebanon if the party did not intervene, but these agreements did not last more than 48 hours.

He stressed that the government is working daily to mobilize Arab, European and American efforts to stop the war, noting that its continuation is closely linked to the Israeli-American conflict with the Iranian regime, in addition to the interest of some Arab countries in their own interests and fears in this conflict.

In this context, Salam expressed his thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was the first to provide humanitarian aid to Lebanon. He also praised the political and humanitarian support provided by France, which was confirmed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

He stressed that Lebanon expects European countries to play a more effective role, whether through diplomatic support to stop the war or through strengthening the capabilities of the army and security forces.

Regarding the possibility of a political initiative to stop the fighting, Salam explained that it is not possible to talk about a serious initiative at the present time, but he indicated that there are ideas under study, especially from the French side.

Regarding the assumption of stopping the war in exchange for handing over Hezbollah’s weapons, the Prime Minister confirmed that Lebanon had not received any messages with this content, indicating that the issue of handing over weapons is a long-term process, while stopping the fighting must be immediate.

Salam revealed that the Council of Ministers confirmed during its last meeting Lebanon’s readiness to resume negotiations within a framework that includes a civil aspect and under international auspices.

He explained that the issue of direct negotiations with Israel was not raised directly, and the Israeli side has not yet responded to the Lebanese proposal.

He added: “We are open to discussing any agenda, any formula, and any place to hold negotiations.”

Salam addressed the government’s decision to consider Hezbollah’s military and security activities illegal, in addition to demanding that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard leave Lebanese territory.

He explained that the party enjoys parliamentary representation and a broad popular base and controls a large number of municipalities, noting that if it completely transforms into a political party and stops its military and security activities, the state will not face any problem with it.

Regarding the deployment of the army, he revealed that the government had begun the second phase of the plan, which was approved by the Council of Ministers at the beginning of September, but the war prevented its full implementation.

However, Salam stressed that the government will not deviate from its path, stressing that the ultimate goal is a complete control of weapons in the hands of the state throughout Lebanese territory.

In response to a question about how to implement this decision, Salam said that the government does not seek a confrontation with Hezbollah, but at the same time it will not yield to any pressure.

He also refused to say that the government had lost its credibility due to the military operations launched from the south of the Litani, stressing that the state is steadfast in its decisions and has already begun implementing them.

He added that Hezbollah has been receiving weapons and funding from Iran for 44 years, and therefore it is unrealistic to believe that this reality can be changed within a few months, stressing that progress has been achieved, although not as quickly as some wish.

Regarding the future of the conflict, Salam stressed that Lebanon will not accept Israeli conditions in peace.

He added that Lebanon has been demanding peace for 25 years, since the launch of the Arab Peace Initiative in Beirut, considering that permanent peace cannot be separated from the regional context.

He pointed out that Israel destroyed Gaza and continues to settle in the West Bank and annex East Jerusalem, stressing that the Arab initiative based on the principle of “land for peace” remains the only option to achieve real and sustainable peace.

Regarding the humanitarian effects of the war, Salam said that the government had prepared for various scenarios, but it needed a few days to update its plans after the outbreak of the war.

He explained that the state is now in a better position to provide decent shelter for the displaced, noting that hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have been forced to leave their homes.

He added that these displaced people are victims of Lebanon being dragged into this war, calling for national solidarity with them because, as he said, the humanity of the Lebanese people is at stake.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Salam revealed that the only guarantees that Lebanon has obtained so far relate to the protection of Beirut International Airport and the road leading to it from Israeli bombing.

He stressed that the government will continue to work politically and diplomatically to stop the war, along with establishing state sovereignty and restoring the decision to arm all Lebanese territories.