Lebanon's response to Gaza War: Ministerial boycotts and urgent preparations

The war on Gaza has entered its third week, with the Israeli army intensifying its aggression and siege, continuing its airstrikes on civilians displaced individuals in schools, mosques, and churches, resulting in the Palestinian death toll surpassing 4,000.

This article was originally published in, translated from online newspaper Al Anbaa.

Two days ago, around 20 aid trucks entered, and on Sunday, 17 more entered, which is a minimal number compared to the reality of Gaza, the needs of its people, and the number of displaced individuals, which has exceeded 700,000.

This situation necessitates a decisive intervention to break the deadly Israeli blockade on the people of Gaza, who are dying either from airstrikes or the lack of necessities for living.

In Lebanon, amid the precautionary preparations made by the Caretaker Cabinet in anticipation of the war's expansion in the south, it was surprising that ministers affiliated with the Free Patriotic Movement continued to boycott government sessions based on the party's political and presidential calculations.

However, the urgent circumstances today require more than ever a national consensus that alleviates the country's burdens.

In this context, Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt asked, "As the country is in a state of semi-war, is it reasonable for some political forces and individuals to boycott the Cabinet to extend the current Army Commander and appoint a Chief of Staff? Enough of these backward presidential calculations; let us be a unified front to face the worst possible scenarios."

Former MP Ali Darwish commented on the FPM ministers' boycott, considering it a "political stance." Still, he spoke of continuous communication between the boycotting ministers and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

He added, "They are part of the emergency plan that the government is working on, and although Mikati prefers everyone's participation in the sessions at this critical stage."

Regarding Mikati's communication with Hezbollah on the one hand and with foreign diplomatic entities on the other, Darwish revealed that "there are no guarantees that Lebanon will not slide into war.

However, the tone of Israeli threats against Lebanon is escalating, while there has been an increase in American warnings in recent hours.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened a war "harsher than in 2006" if Hezbollah were to take the plunge. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the US "will not hesitate to act" if the conflict expands.

But Hezbollah, which mourned the loss of 11 members in the past two days, has not yet made any public statements. Its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, has not spoken amid ongoing tension in the southern front and an escalation of hostilities.

So, no more critical and dangerous situation for Lebanon calls for at least a minimum level of agreement to keep Lebanon neutral or, at the very least, protect its citizens from any impending danger.

This necessitates all ministers sitting at the government's table because the situation demands effective action, not populist stances.