Berri Vows Legal Action Against Israel Over Genocide Crimes

Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri declared on Monday that the nation will not waive its right to pursue legal action against Israel. He cited alleged genocide crimes committed within the country during his speech marking a significant anniversary.

Berri made these remarks while commemorating the forty-eighth anniversary of the disappearance of Musa al-Sadr. The Shiite cleric and Amal Movement founder vanished in Libya in 1978, and his fate remains unknown to this day.

The speaker emphasized that Lebanon’s confrontation with Israel requires a unified national approach free of sectarian calculations. He warned that the target is not specific groups but Lebanon itself, its unity, and its civil peace.

He explicitly rejected the June framework agreement and warned against direct negotiations while under fire. Berri questioned what seven rounds of talks achieved, noting that occupied areas expanded and destruction increased alongside rising martyr numbers.

Israeli aggression since March has killed more than four thousand people and wounded over twelve thousand. More than one million have been displaced while Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon and expand its presence.

An eighth round of direct talks is expected in Italy in September. The previous round ended without agreement on expanding withdrawal areas, despite the US-mediated deal calling for phased Israeli withdrawal and army deployment.