Khawaja to LBCI: The resistance deterred Israel; LF, FPM bear responsibility for not electing a president

Member of the Development and Liberation Bloc, MP Mohammad Khawaja, considered that "the current situation does not hold partial solutions, and the delegations that came to Lebanon brought partial solutions based on 'Israel's security,' starting with the French initiative and ending with Hochstein's initiative, which carried clauses we do not agree with."

On LBCI's "Nharkom Said" TV show, he asked, "Why didn't Hochstein tell the Israeli army to move just one kilometer away from our borders? Why is only the Lebanese side asked to withdraw?"

He said, "Lebanon has never been, even once, the source of war; rather, it is always Israel that is the source of war in the entire region."

Khawaja added, "Israel can wage war, but it cannot guarantee its outcome; rather, it shifts its stance from time to time, and Hamas has resilience."

He affirmed that they "adhere to Resolution 1701 and its implementation, [...]  and it is the enemy's responsibility to comply with its literal implementation."

He pointed out that "there is a military war, even with a low intensity, on our front, and a political war and political resistance under the management of Speaker Berri during his meetings with foreign envoys, who only carry Israeli concerns."

He emphasized that "we are against Palestinian division, and without unity, the Palestinian people cannot prevail. Israel hates any resistance movement and hates the Fatah movement as it hates Hamas."

He said that the October 7th attacks are regarded as a response to the occupation and are "calculated."

He stressed that "what the Islamic Resistance did is a deterrent to the Israeli war, not a lure for it."

Regarding the presidential file, he said, "The presidential issue is completely separate from the war, and if they proceed with Speaker Berri's practical and real initiative, there would have been a president within ten days."

He added, "I hold responsible for not electing a president those who refused dialogue from the beginning, namely the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces."


He affirmed that "if we return to parliamentary sessions today to elect a president, we will witness the same situation as in previous sessions, and there will be no presidential election session without consensus."

He added that "Geagea and Gemayel said in previous TV interviews, "If the opposition candidate wins, we will not secure the quorum," adding that this is their right. "We do not blame them, and they should not blame us either."

Khawaja wished that "the Quintet Committee would be 'carrying something,'" affirming that the President must be "made in Lebanon."