Lebanon’s Mufti Derian Warns of The 'Revolt of The Hungry'

Grand Mufti Abdelatif Derian and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab on their way to perform the Eid prayers in Beirut on Thursday (EPA).
Grand Mufti Abdelatif Derian and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab on their way to perform the Eid prayers in Beirut on Thursday (EPA).
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Lebanon’s Mufti Derian Warns of The 'Revolt of The Hungry'

Grand Mufti Abdelatif Derian and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab on their way to perform the Eid prayers in Beirut on Thursday (EPA).
Grand Mufti Abdelatif Derian and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab on their way to perform the Eid prayers in Beirut on Thursday (EPA).

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdellatif Derian expressed his fear “of an explosion or social violence that would lead to the revolt of the hungry,” and launched a violent attack on Lebanese political officials, saying that they had “seriously failed the citizens.”

Mufti Derian, who led Eid-al-Fitr prayers on Thursday, said in his sermon that those working in public political affairs “have severely disappointed their citizens when they indulged in corruption and prevented the formation of a government capable of stopping the collapse.”

He continued: “These politicians are responsible for the corruption, which has become a more terrible epidemic than the coronavirus…They are preventing the functioning of constitutional institutions, hitting the judiciary, resorting to sectarian delusions and separating citizens.”

“These bad actions will not be forgotten by the Lebanese people,” the Grand Mufti said, adding: “We express our fear of an explosion or social violence, which will lead to the revolt of the hungry… Then, remorse will be useless.”

Regarding the government issue, Derian said that the internal and external initiatives to form a government of non-partisan specialists have failed due to “personal interests and selfishness.”

The Mufti said that obstacles were placed in a “systematic manner” to obstruct the mission of the prime minister-designate in forming a new government. He stressed that the country’s collapse would not stop “except with the birth of a government that addresses corruption and carry out the required reforms.”

“May God help the prime minister-designate in his arduous task and be with the caretaker prime minister, who bore what others failed to endure in such difficult circumstances,” he underlined.



UNIFIL Urges Timely Israeli Pullout from South Lebanon under Month-Old Truce Deal

Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
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UNIFIL Urges Timely Israeli Pullout from South Lebanon under Month-Old Truce Deal

Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) called on Thursday for a timely Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, citing what it called Israeli violations of a Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement with Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a US-brokered 60-day ceasefire that calls for a phased Israeli military pullout after more than a year of war, in keeping with a 2006 UN Security Council resolution that ended their last major conflict.

Under the agreement, Hezbollah fighters must leave positions in south Lebanon and move north of the Litani River, which runs about 20 miles (30 km) north of the border with Israel, along with a full Israeli withdrawal from the south.

In a statement, UNIFIL voiced concern over what it said was continued destruction by Israeli forces of residential areas, farmland and infrastructure in south Lebanon, deeming this a violation of UN Resolution 1701.

"UNIFIL continues to urge the timely withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (in place of Hezbollah) in southern Lebanon, alongside the full implementation of Resolution 1701 as a comprehensive path toward peace," the statement said.

The Israeli military said it was looking into UNIFIL's criticism and declined further comment for the time being.

Under the terms of its truce with Hezbollah, Israeli forces can take up to 60 days to withdraw from south Lebanon but neither side can launch offensive operations.

Lebanon's army said it was following up with UNIFIL and the committee supervising the agreement regarding what it said was a deepened incursion of Israeli forces into some areas of southern Lebanese areas.

UNIFIL reiterated readiness to monitor the area south of the Litani River to ensure it remains free of armed personnel and weapons, except those of Lebanon's government and UNIFIL.

The ceasefire marked the end of the deadliest confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah since their six-week war in 2006. However, Israel has continued military operations against Palestinian fighters in Gaza.