Minister Makki says cabinet key to crisis decisions, urges unity at critical moment

Minister for Administrative Reform, Fadi Makki, called for unity and stronger state institutions as Lebanon grapples with what he described as an “existential crisis,” stressing that the country urgently needs decisions that “unite, not divide.”

In a statement, Makki said bolstering the role of the state and prioritizing national responsibility are essential at this stage, emphasizing that constitutional institutions—chief among them the Cabinet—remain the natural framework for sovereign decision-making, particularly in times of crisis.

Despite opposing a recent measure taken by the Foreign Ministry, Makki said he attended the Cabinet session out of conviction that active participation is a national necessity to ensure the proper functioning of public institutions and to confront mounting challenges.

He stressed that the immediate priority should be addressing what he described as ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon, citing systematic destruction and the targeting of civilians, medical teams, infrastructure, and essential services, in what he called a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

Makki outlined several key priorities that should guide Cabinet action in the coming phase, starting with giving absolute priority to receiving and sheltering displaced people.

He also called for intensified political and diplomatic efforts to halt the ongoing attacks, particularly in southern villages, alongside activating Lebanese diplomacy in an urgent and effective manner to counter what he described as dangerous Israeli rhetoric and actions regarding expansion and occupation, especially south of the Litani River, and to mobilize international support to end the war in Lebanon.

Finally, Makki underscored the importance of preserving civil peace and strengthening internal dialogue, describing them as the only path to protecting the country and preventing further division and tension.

“Once again, I came to stress that Lebanon today is in dire need of decisions that unite rather than divide, and of approaches that strengthen the state rather than weaken it,” he said, concluding: “There is no choice but the state.”