The Position of The Network regarding the recent eruption of war between Gaza and Israel.

The Lebanese Private Sector Network condemns all acts of violence against civilians and calls for negotiated settlements to international and regional disputes and conflicts. War is never the solution to problems. It only serves to aggravate the underlying issues that can only be resolved by constructive diplomacy conducted in good faith by moderate counterparties who are willing to find compromise.

The LPSN believes that the Israeli-Palestinian war now unfolding on the borders of the Gaza strip must be resolved through internationally mediated negotiations between the parties which would open the way to a ceasefire followed by a solution to the root causes of the conflict. In particular, it is in the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese people that the conflict should not extend to our country.

Our country is in the throes of an unprecedented constitutional, economic, financial and social crisis that has been aptly described as “existential”.  Lebanon cannot afford a war and the Lebanese people have made sufficient sacrifices on the altar of regional causes that they should not be solicited to offer yet more.

The LPSN calls on the caretaker government to deploy all of the forces it can muster to the Southern border of the country including army, police, state security and general security in order to ensure the security and inviolability of our border to provocateurs acting with the intent of opening a front involving Lebanon.   The LPSN calls on UNIFIL and the United Nations to assume their full responsibilities under the UNSC resolution for safeguarding peace and security in South Lebanon, namely 1701.

Finally we exhort all parties to put the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese people above the interests of foreign patrons whoever they may be and whose interests may lie in utilizing our country as a card in the currently unfolding geopolitical and regional military struggle.