Hani: Lebanon’s priority is ceasefire and ending attrition
Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani said that the past period was marked by diving into technical and military details, noting that Lebanon’s current effort is focused on stopping attrition, while the Israeli side is imposing negotiations under fire and continuing attempts to achieve field gains and control high hills in southern Lebanon.
In an interview on the program Ahdath on Sawt Kull Lubnan radio, he stressed that Lebanon’s main demand from the beginning has been a ceasefire in order to reach sustainable solutions and security stability. He affirmed that Lebanon is exerting pressure with its friends, led by the United States, to achieve this goal, especially as security, social, and economic pressures require a swift and final solution, expressing hope that negotiations will proceed at a faster pace and that hostilities will stop.
He also pointed out that the American mediator’s close follow-up and high-level engagement with the Lebanese file is a positive indicator, as President Trump is personally involved in the matter, adding that the American side emphasized in yesterday’s negotiations the importance of Lebanon’s territorial independence.
On the issue of displacement, Hani said that despite challenges and limited resources, the government has managed the displacement crisis well, but international support has not been sufficient. He revealed that relevant ministries are preparing to launch a new humanitarian appeal at the beginning of June to request support to meet humanitarian needs, noting that part of the aid will be directed to host communities.
He also said that this government has taken decisive decisions unanimously in a democratic atmosphere, considering that calls to bring down the government by the Secretary-General of Hezbollah were unrealistic, especially since the party’s ministers are part of the government.
Regarding the draft general amnesty law, Hani expressed optimism that all parties could reach an agreement on the contentious points, particularly those related to army martyrs.
As for areas affected by Israeli attacks, the Minister of Agriculture said they are estimated at around 60,000 hectares out of 250,000, noting that these lands account for 22.5% of Lebanon’s total agricultural land, and have no real alternative.
