PM Salam rebuts Berri's claims, reaffirms government's commitment to South Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam responded Thursday to comments attributed to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri suggesting that the government has neglected South Lebanon, saying he was “astonished” by the claim and reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the region and its people.

In a post on X, Salam wrote that “if the statement is true,” he would like to remind that one of his first actions after winning Parliament’s confidence—within 48 hours—was to visit Tyre, Khiam, and Nabatieh with several ministers “to assess the situation and listen to our people in the south.”

He added that despite the absence of external aid “for known reasons” and within the limits of the state’s resources, the Social Affairs Ministry has provided monthly financial assistance to 67,000 families affected by the war and monthly rent payments to 10,000 displaced families.

Salam said that the Telecommunications, Public Works, and Energy ministries have already begun repair works to restore essential services to damaged areas. 

Meanwhile, the Council for the South and the Higher Relief Commission have been instructed to accelerate their operations, with the necessary funds transferred to them.

The prime minister also noted that his government secured a $250 million loan from the World Bank to rebuild war-damaged infrastructure, though disbursement awaits Parliament’s approval of the related law. 

“We hope the esteemed Parliament will resume its legislative work quickly to pass this law so that our people in the south and all areas affected by the war can benefit,” Salam wrote, concluding: “As I have said before, reconstruction is not a promise—it is a pledge.”