Lebanese Ministry of Information
President Michel Aoun and lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to the Palestinian cause Wednesday, calling on Palestinian nationals to unite.
During the morning parliamentary session Speaker Nabih Berri called on MPs to make recommendations on the stance of the Lebanese government toward Palestinian unity.
“The Lebanese Parliament, which is meeting today, confirms its complete unity with the brotherly Palestinian people and condemns the aggressive attacks by the Israeli terrorist authorities for [its occupation of Jerusalem],” Berri said.
He also called on the United Nations, specifically the Security Council, to “lift the hand of the Israeli occupation off the Holy Mosque of Jerusalem.”
Following comments by MP Wael Abu Faour, concerning Israeli attempts to implicate Druze in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Berri amended the original stance to say, “once again, we call on all Palestinian factions to unite, including the 1948 Palestinians,” which includes the Druze.
Progressive Socialist Party chief and Druze leader MP Walid Jumblatt Wednesday also warned Palestinian Druze of attempts by Israel to drag them into the conflict.
“I deplore the recent calls inciting religious strife, and call on Druze to reject joining the Israeli army,” Jumblatt said on his Twitter account.
Last Friday, three 1948 Palestinians shot at Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, killing two. Israel closed the site for two days following the attack, angering Muslims and Jordan, the site’s custodian. Israel said the closure was necessary to carry out security checks.
The site reopened Sunday with new security measures, including metal detectors. The Israeli policemen shot and killed in last week’s attack were Druze.
Israeli officials leapt to the defense of the Israeli-Druze community after the attack. Education Minister Naftali Bennett released a statement that said the “Jewish people have an eternal bond with our brothers, the Druze.”
Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon tweeted that his heart was with “our heroic Druze brothers who were murdered in this despicable attack.”
Separate from the parliamentary session, Aoun received a handwritten letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday, which praised Aoun’s recent stance of unity with the Palestinian cause.
“I thank you for your position on the recent Israeli moves on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and your message of unity and support for a Palestinian country … despite Israeli steps to halt this process,” Abbas said in his letter to Aoun, delivered by his adviser Minister Azzam Ahmad.
Aoun sent a message back to Abbas that reiterated Lebanon’s support for the Palestinian cause and any cause that maintained peace at Christian and Muslim places of worship.
