Lebanese Parliament Speaker: Full ’Israeli’ Withdrawal A Must

By Staff, Agencies 

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that Lebanon will accept nothing less than a complete and unconditional ceasefire on land, air and sea, strongly reaffirming the Lebanese resistance’s principled and steadfast position against “Israeli” aggression.

Berri said on Monday night that only after a full ceasefire takes effect will any discussion on the simultaneous withdrawal of the “Israeli” occupation army from Lebanese soil and Hezbollah forces from areas south of the Litani River begin.

He categorically rejected the “Israeli” so-called “test areas” or any piecemeal arrangements.

“What is being called ‘test areas’ is unacceptable to me. We only accept the withdrawal of Israel and the entry of the Lebanese army into the area, simultaneously with the return of all displaced people,” Berri said.

H also underscored Lebanon’s openness to mediation by any country proving the resistance’s flexibility for genuine peace while maintaining its unbreakable red lines against the “Israeli” aggressor.

In a separate development, Hezbollah has delivered a sharp rebuke to US President Donald Trump’s fabricated claims of direct contact with the Lebanese resistance.

Senior Hezbollah official and Deputy Chairman of the Political Council, Mahmoud Qamati, told AFP that no direct communication whatsoever exists between the resistance movement and Trump, dismissing Washington’s narrative as a deliberate distortion aimed at creating a false impression of diplomatic breakthroughs.

Qamati pointed out that messages are routinely passed through official Lebanese channels, particularly via Berri’s adviser to the US ambassador.

The senior official suggested that Trump may have intentionally mischaracterized indirect diplomatic channels.

Qamati added that Trump's misleading suggestions of direct contact expose US readiness to bypass and undermine official Lebanese authorities the moment it seeks engagement with the country's actual influential power brokers.

The denial comes after Trump boasted last week of holding direct talks with Hezbollah “for the first time in history” to discuss halting hostilities.

Trump made the claims immediately after the “Israeli” escalated threats to resume its brutal carpet-bombing of Beirut’s southern suburb [Dahyieh].

The unified message from Berri and Hezbollah remains loud and clear that no surrender, no partial ceasefires, and no acceptance of any arrangement that falls short of the complete withdrawal of “Israeli” occupation forces from Lebanese territory.