Headline from “Lebanese Forces ” Website: A Government of Salam… From Confidence to the Challenges of State-Building Path
Source: Lebanese Forces Website Team
A new tone has recently been heard in political circles, calling for extending a hand to “the party,” especially after the recent war and its disastrous outcomes for the party. However, after Sheikh Naeem Qassem’s speech during the funeral ceremonies and his emphasis on building the state, calls for meeting the party halfway have increased, attempting to place the policy of dialogue and cooperation with the party at the forefront.
Although the idea of reaching out for dialogue and understanding is not rejected, the difference between talking about state-building and implementing it is of critical importance. Talking about building a state becomes futile when the party insists on holding onto weapons and resistance. How can one talk about building a state that includes all its citizens while the party insists on having an armed force parallel to the state? This point remains central in any discussion about building a real state. The nation cannot unite around the principle of illegal weapons that threaten the state’s dignity, security, and stability.
Charles Jibran, the head of the Media and Communications Department of the Lebanese Forces, points out in an interview on the Lebanese Forces website that all calls for meeting “the party” halfway are misplaced, if not flawed, and are either from good intentions that fail to grasp the meaning or purpose or from individuals who are unaware of what is required.
Jibran adds: “What is required is another equation, not meeting the party halfway, which is a wrong equation. What is needed is the meeting of all political factions under the roof of the state and the constitution, based on one weapon and one state that monopolizes the carrying of arms and holds the power to decide on war and peace. As for the claim that we must meet the party, we must ask: For what purpose? The party still speaks of what it calls ‘resistance,’ and even today, it has not accepted its defeat nor the end of its armed project. It insists on continuing this project. Therefore, any meeting must take place only and exclusively under the roof of the state and the constitution, and it starts with dismantling the party’s military structure and its public acceptance of the end of its armed project. Until then, there will be no meeting or any hope for it.”
The most significant event occurred in the Nejmeh Square, where President Nawaf Salam’s government will receive confidence and then proceed to the difficult and practical task of rebuilding state institutions and revitalizing them. After long years of corruption and accumulated waste at all levels, it has become essential for this government to take responsibility under exceptional internal and external circumstances. Lebanon, which has gone through a difficult economic and financial phase, has also suffered from political and security deterioration, which has worsened the situation significantly.
In addition to the economic crises that hit the country, Lebanon entered a war that led to catastrophic results for the Lebanese people and the region as a whole.
Political sources believe that confidence will inevitably come, but the most important thing is the serious and effective work that the government will do to implement the promises made to the Lebanese people. Through the oath speech, the government laid out a clear roadmap, and although the time available to the government is not long, there are priorities that must be implemented quickly to improve the situation on the ground. The first of these priorities is the implementation of the ceasefire decision, which is a fundamental step towards achieving internal stability.
The sources add via the Lebanese Forces website: “One of the most important steps awaiting the government is also the implementation of international resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 1701, which calls for a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and seeks to enhance stability along the southern borders. This issue has been a continuous concern of the international community, and the current government must exert every effort to fully implement this resolution, which requires activating international relations more effectively while emphasizing the need to improve Lebanon’s security situation and prevent new threats at the borders.”
The sources continue: “But more importantly, is the government’s ability to confront the corruption that has spread throughout all state institutions. President Nawaf Salam’s government is required to reform the systems and laws that have allowed corrupt individuals to benefit from the structural failures in the state over the years. This will not be an easy task, as many political forces have interests tied to these corrupt systems. However, if the government is serious about implementing reforms, it must build on well-studied priorities and take bold steps to ensure that Lebanon transforms into an effective and strong state.”