The National Bloc on the Appointment of Simon Karam: A Step in the Right Direction

The decision of the President of the Republic to appoint Ambassador Simon Karam as head of the Lebanese delegation to the "Mechanism" Committee sends clear positive signals to the international community and instills hope among the Lebanese people, as it shows that their state has begun to assume its sovereign responsibilities in direct political negotiations on behalf of Lebanon, aiming for a sustainable diplomatic solution that protects Lebanon and its citizens, and enables them to return to their villages, rebuild them, and live in peace in their homeland and throughout the Middle East. A point His Holiness the Pope emphasized clearly in his speech yesterday in downtown Beirut.

The importance of this decision also lies in the fact that it removes the ground from under all other parties, whether foreign states or local militias, that, over the past three decades, have not stopped using Lebanon as a battlefield or, at best, as a bargaining chip to improve their own conditions at the expense of the national interest and the Lebanese people’s interests.

The choice of Ambassador Karam is reassuring, reflecting undeniable values of patriotism and sovereignty.

The priority, however, remains for the state to take the initiative to disarm all militias across Lebanese territories without delay, so that it alone can be the sovereign authority in these negotiations and the sole entity capable of deciding whether to go to war or pursue peace.