Lebanese premier says those who gave Israel pretexts for war caused greatest harm to Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Tuesday that those who provided Israel with pretexts to attack Lebanon had caused the greatest harm to the country by dragging it into “futile support wars.”

Salam’s remarks came in a post on US social media company X after Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said in a televised speech that the Lebanese state’s direct negotiations with Israel had produced nothing but “gratuitous concessions.”

Qassem urged the government to “engage in dialogue with the resistance, repair the internal situation and prioritize sovereignty.”

“Today, we hear those who accuse the political leadership of helping Israel instead of protecting Lebanon’s sovereignty, while calling for dialogue and unity, as though the Lebanese people have no memory,” Salam wrote.

“The greatest service rendered to Israel came from those who unilaterally dragged Lebanon into futile support wars, giving it pretexts to attack our country, violate its sovereignty, destroy its cities and villages, kill its people and displace hundreds of thousands,” he added.

Salam said those who made unilateral decisions on war and continued trying to monopolize state authority while tying Lebanon to external agendas “have no right to issue certificates of patriotism, let alone sovereignty.”

He stressed that Lebanon’s sovereignty could only be guaranteed through “one independent decision” exercised by a state with “one army” that alone extends its authority across the country’s entire territory.

The prime minister reaffirmed the state’s commitment to ending Israel’s occupation of all Lebanese territory, securing the release of all detainees, ensuring the safe and dignified return of displaced residents to their homes and farmland, and rebuilding affected areas.

Since March, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 4,333 people, injured 12,250 others and displaced more than 1 million, according to Lebanese authorities.

The attacks have continued, though at a reduced pace, despite the US-brokered framework formula agreement signed by Beirut and Tel Aviv on June 26 and ongoing negotiations in Rome on Tuesday.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has previously denied that Beirut made concessions to Israel, saying that “negotiation does not mean surrender or capitulation,” but is a diplomatic path to secure Lebanon’s rights and end the war.