Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri remarked that UN Security Council Resolution 1559 (adopted on September 2, 2004, calling for the disarmament and dissolution of all militias, including Hezbollah) is now "a thing of the past." Despite being a key demand from the Israelis to end their conflict with Hezbollah and backed by many Lebanese, Berri sarcastically added, "We don’t even remember it anymore."
In an interview on Thursday evening with local broadcaster Al-Jadeed, Berri stressed that "the only international resolution" currently on the table, meaning the only one still relevant, is Resolution 1701 — the one that brought an end to the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
"No one can drive a wedge between us and Hezbollah," Berri affirmed when asked about attempts by some to separate the Amal-Hezbollah alliance.
Berri expressed frustration with US support for a ceasefire, saying, "The Americans talk about supporting a solution, but in practice, their words carry little weight on the ground."
He also acknowledged that the intensifying clashes between Israel and Hezbollah are having "a direct impact" on international efforts to find a solution to Lebanon’s deepening political crisis.
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