Mustafa Al-Fouani, head of the executive council of the Amal Movement, stated on 18 October that Lebanon rejects direct negotiations with Israel. He addressed the issue during a memorial service held in the town of Budai for Nasri Shammas, which took place three days after the death of the latter. The memorial service served as a platform for the Amal Movement to clarify its position on the current geopolitical climate and the diplomatic pressures being exerted on the Lebanese state.
Mustafa Al-Fouani argued that the country's national interests must remain protected from external pressure. He stated: "Harming sovereignty and adhering to national constants, resistance, reconstruction, and the return of the people to their villages are rights that should not be subjected to political bargaining or trade-offs." By emphasizing these constants, Mustafa Al-Fouani signaled that the Amal Movement considers the current diplomatic climate to be one that threatens the fundamental integrity of the nation. He reiterated that Lebanon rejects direct negotiations with Israel, maintaining that such talks would undermine the established national stance held by the movement.
Concurrent with these statements regarding political negotiations, reconstruction efforts are underway in affected areas. Faisal Shukr, the deputy official of the Bekaa region in Hezbollah, announced that the party has begun the second phase of providing housing allowances to people who lost their homes. This financial assistance is intended to address the immediate needs of residents who have been displaced or whose property has been damaged during the recent period of instability. The rollout of these funds represents a significant logistical operation for the party, which has positioned these housing allowances as a priority for the stability of the affected populations in the Bekaa region.
Faisal Shukr linked these relief efforts to the broader security situation in the country. He remarked: "Resistance remains one of the elements of Lebanon's strength in light of the presence of an enemy that knows only criminality, destruction, and occupation." Through this statement, Faisal Shukr showed the dual nature of the party’s current strategy, which combines active social welfare programs with a firm commitment to the philosophy of resistance.
The announcement by Faisal Shukr regarding the housing allowances follows the initial phase of the program, which focused on immediate emergency aid. Now, in the second phase, the focus shifts toward providing more sustained support for those who have lost their homes. As Mustafa Al-Fouani and Faisal Shukr continue to address the public, the dual focus on rejecting external diplomatic pressure and maintaining domestic social stability remains the central theme of their messaging. The memorial service for Nasri Shammas in Budai provided the specific context for these declarations, noting the intersection of local mourning and national policy. The Amal Movement and Hezbollah remain coordinated in their public rejection of direct negotiations with Israel, framing their opposition as a necessary measure to preserve the sovereignty of Lebanon and the rights of its citizens to inhabit their villages without the threat of political trade-offs.
