Project Watan: From Supporting the Gaza War to a Bold Decision for Peace and Stability

The Executive Board of Project Watan, in a statement following its weekly meeting chaired by MP Neemat Frem with all members present, welcomed the start of the first phase of the Gaza agreement, calling it “a ray of hope to end bloodshed and humanitarian suffering”, and an “opportunity to shift from dragging Lebanon into the so-called Gaza support war to making a historic and bold decision to back peace and stability in the region and in Lebanon.”

“We must take the initiative to implement the provisions outlined in the paper approved by the Lebanese Cabinet last August under international sponsorship, and grant the Lebanese Army full authority and responsibility in the border area to consolidate Lebanese legitimacy, protect national sovereignty, and avoid the dangers of delay,” the statement read.

On another note, the Board called on “all central and local authorities to treat the waste management file as a national and strategic issue, given its direct impact on the environment, public health, the economy, and people’s daily lives.”

It reaffirmed that “sustainable and final solutions have become an urgent necessity, and temporary patchwork policies are no longer acceptable,” calling for “the adoption of practical projects and proposals, including the waste management cost-recovery law and the draft law to convert solid waste into alternative fuel (RDF) for use in cement factories instead of petroleum fuel, as an integrated national approach to Lebanon’s waste crisis.”

Regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Board expressed hope that “all concerned parties act with a spirit of responsibility, wisdom, and democracy, ensuring fair representation and not depriving any Lebanese component of its right to vote for its representatives,” emphasizing “the sacred right of Lebanese expatriates to vote for the 128 MPs.”

“The expatriate community has always been a fundamental pillar in the continuity of the nation, and protecting their right to vote is as crucial as holding elections on schedule,” the statement concluded.