Exclusive – Minister of Environment and the Call for “Incinerators”
(By Antoine Salamoun)
“What may be uglier than the aggression itself are the attempts to justify it.”
Lebanese citizens did not need to read the tweet by the Minister of Environment, Dr. Tamara Al-Zein, representing the Amal Movement within the Shiite duo, to realize the duo’s responsiveness, commitment, and respect for what it had initially agreed upon. This includes its role in implementing the ceasefire agreement, UN Resolution 1701 in all its provisions, the presidential oath, and the ministerial statement that the tweeting minister and her colleagues had signed, as well as the Taif Agreement. Since the duo’s approval and up until the postponed celebration of Quds Day—delayed by a day due to the Israeli strike on the Jammous area in the heart of the southern suburbs—Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, has repeatedly affirmed that his party operates politically and diplomatically under the umbrella of the Lebanese state, to which such responsibilities are assigned.
Minister Al-Zein has consistently breached national sovereignty and ministerial solidarity. After the government was formed and gained confidence based on its ministerial statement, she reiterated that “occupation automatically grants the right to resistance,” even though Sheikh Naim Qassem had acknowledged that the resistance’s role had ended. He admitted that Hezbollah had fulfilled its duty by withdrawing its military presence south of the Litani River—out of the villages resisting Israel and the occupied points, which had increased from five to eight.
When Lebanese Forces ministers proposed in a cabinet session the necessity of establishing a timeline for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons, in line with the presidential oath and the ministerial statement, which affirmed that weapons should be exclusively under state control, Minister Tamara Al-Zein, representing the Amal Movement, objected. She categorically rejected the proposal, arguing that discussing Hezbollah’s disarmament was irrelevant due to Israeli occupation and the ongoing security incidents in Lebanon. However, the Prime Minister responded in an interview with Al Arabiya on March 21, 2025, stating: “The ministerial statement clearly states that weapons must be exclusively in the hands of the state. The slogan ‘People, Army, Resistance’ is a thing of the past.” This aligned with previous decisions, agreements, and statements, including one by Army Commander Joseph Aoun on March 6, 2025: “The Cabinet holds the decision-making authority, not the parties or sects.” Similarly, upon his appointment, Prime Minister Salam declared on February 5, 2025: “I am working to form a reformist government committed to the principle of ministerial solidarity” and emphasized that “no internal disruptions would be tolerated.”
Since Naim Qassem set the ceiling under which Hezbollah operates—the Taif Agreement—it is crucial to revisit the agreement’s provisions concerning the government, its head, ministers, and Hezbollah’s illegal weapons, which must be handed over to the state. This necessity has become a repeated demand on national, regional, and international levels, much like the call for the Syrian army’s withdrawal before April 26, 2005.
Regarding the Prime Minister, the Taif Agreement states: “The Prime Minister represents the government, speaks on its behalf, and is responsible for implementing the general policy set by the Cabinet.”
Regarding the Cabinet, it states: “Decisions are made by a majority of those present. However, fundamental issues require the approval of two-thirds of the Cabinet members. Fundamental issues include:
• The declaration and revocation of a state of emergency
• War and peace decisions
• General mobilization
• International treaties and agreements
• The state’s general budget
• Comprehensive and long-term development plans
• The appointment of first-category civil servants and their equivalents
• Administrative division reforms
• The dissolution of Parliament
• Electoral law
• Nationality law
• Personal status laws
• The dismissal of ministers”
As for ministers, perhaps Minister Al-Zein should read: “A minister’s authority is enhanced in accordance with the government’s general policy and the principle of collective responsibility.”
Most importantly, a key provision that has gained near-unanimous support among Lebanese citizens and major global powers is found in the Taif Agreement under “Second: Extending State Sovereignty Over All Lebanese Territories.” It states:
“The National Accord Government shall devise a detailed security plan over one year to gradually extend the Lebanese state’s authority across the entire country through its own forces, with the following key points:
1. Announcing the dissolution of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and handing over their weapons to the state within six months, starting after the National Accord Document is ratified, the President is elected, the National Accord Government is formed, and political reforms are constitutionally enacted.”
It is undeniable that the sovereignty-conscious Minister of Environment, who accused a large segment of Lebanese citizens—including the President, the army, and the government—of treason and collaboration, aligns with previous warnings about “suspicious attempts” to drag Lebanon back into a cycle of violence. These warnings followed the launch of unidentified rockets, hinting at Hezbollah’s role in the previous war by “supporting” Gaza from Lebanese territory.
This stance is reminiscent of the minister’s proposal on February 27, 2025, to resolve Lebanon’s waste crisis—suggesting the construction of a single, massive incinerator for the entire country. In both the sovereignty and environmental debates, her stance earned her the title given by the “You Stink” movement: “The Minister of Incinerators.”
Exclusif – La Ministre de l’Environnement et l’Appel aux “Incinérateurs”
(Par Antoine Salamoun)
« Ce qui peut être plus horrible que l’agression elle-même, ce sont les tentatives de la justifier. »
Les Libanais n’avaient pas besoin de lire le tweet de la ministre de l’Environnement, Dr. Tamara Al-Zein, représentante du mouvement Amal au sein du duo chiite, pour comprendre à quel point ce duo était engagé et respectueux de ce qu’il avait initialement accepté. Cela inclut la mise en œuvre de l’accord de cessez-le-feu, la résolution 1701 de l’ONU dans toutes ses dispositions, le serment présidentiel et la déclaration ministérielle signée par la ministre et ses collègues, ainsi que l’Accord de Taëf.
La ministre Al-Zein a violé à plusieurs reprises la souveraineté nationale et la solidarité gouvernementale. Après la formation du gouvernement, elle a insisté sur le fait que « l’occupation donne automatiquement le droit à la résistance », bien que Naim Qassem ait reconnu que le rôle de la résistance était terminé.
Lorsque les ministres des Forces Libanaises ont proposé un calendrier pour le désarmement du Hezbollah, en accord avec le serment présidentiel et la déclaration ministérielle, la ministre Al-Zein s’y est opposée, arguant que cette question était hors de propos en raison de l’occupation israélienne et des incidents sécuritaires au Liban. Cependant, le Premier ministre a répliqué sur Al Arabiya le 21 mars 2025 : « La déclaration ministérielle stipule clairement que les armes doivent être exclusivement entre les mains de l’État. Le slogan “Peuple, Armée, Résistance” appartient au passé. »
L’Accord de Taëf stipule que le Premier ministre représente le gouvernement et est responsable de l’exécution de la politique générale. Il exige également la dissolution de toutes les milices et la remise de leurs armes à l’État dans un délai de six mois.
Enfin, la ministre, qui a été accusée d’accuser une grande partie des Libanais de trahison, avait proposé en février 2025 la construction d’un incinérateur géant pour tout le pays, ce qui lui a valu le surnom attribué par le mouvement « Vous Puez » : “La Ministre des Incinérateurs”.