Project Watan: Between the Risks of War and the Opportunities of the Economic Corridor – No Salvation Without the State

Project Watan’s Executive Board held its weekly meeting, chaired by MP Neemat Frem, in the presence of its members. After a broad review of the most prominent local, regional, and international developments, the following statement was issued:

• Project Watan discussed the U.S. President’s address, noting the significant escalation in warnings regarding the threat posed to the world by the Iranian nuclear file and the associated possession of a ballistic missile system capable of reaching Europe and the United States. The Board pointed out that the widening gap between the two camps may suggest that prospects for peace are receding in favor of scenarios of escalation and war.

Thus, amid the prevailing atmosphere of anticipation and uncertainty, the Board reaffirmed its firm and final commitment to fully dissociating Lebanon from any regional or international conflict, and its categorical rejection of dragging the country into any war of support, regardless of its title or justification. The Lebanese people are no longer prepared to pay the price of new adventures under any pretext, especially given that the previous war of support inflicted heavy human and material losses on all Lebanese. The absolute priority is the protection of internal stability and the preservation of what remains of the pillars of the state.

• The Executive Board considers that proposals related to parliamentary elections must top the agenda of the extraordinary session of Parliament, particularly those concerning expatriate voting, the “megacenter,” the magnetic card, and the voting of residents of border villages. These issues are no longer secondary procedural matters, but essential elements in ensuring the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.

The Board also stresses the need to question the government on all details related to the electoral process, such as the unjustified delay in issuing the amendments approved by the Council of Ministers, given that more than forty days have passed since their referral to Parliament without any response. Respecting constitutional and procedural deadlines is a fundamental condition for safeguarding confidence in the democratic process and preventing any ambiguity or doubt.

• The Executive Board addressed the Constitutional Council’s decision to accept the appeal against the Judicial Independence Law due to a procedural violation consisting of the failure to seek the opinion of the Higher Judicial Council. Project Watan affirms that the principle of judicial independence is sacred and not subject to compromise.

If the annulment occurred for procedural reasons, its remedy must be undertaken as swiftly as possible without undermining the substance of independence. Judicial independence is neither a technical detail nor a passing procedural clause; it is the cornerstone of a state governed by the rule of law and institutions. Any delay in correcting the flaw leaves justice vulnerable to instability and political pressure, and weakens citizens’ confidence in their state.

• The participants view Lebanon’s accession to the economic corridor extending from India to Europe, through several regional countries, as a major strategic opportunity to reposition the country on the global trade map. Estimates point to the potential revitalization of the ports of Beirut and Tripoli, generating revenues amounting to billions of dollars, in addition to securing between four and five thousand direct and indirect job opportunities.

However, Lebanon cannot join the region’s emerging political and economic order without confining weapons exclusively to the hands of the state, which must assert its full authority over all its territory, and without rebuilding institutions on effective and transparent foundations. Keeping pace with development is not achieved through slogans but through bold decisions and deep structural reforms. The current phase requires transcending hollow convictions and narrow calculations, and entering with confidence and responsibility into the era of modernity and productivity – where nations are measured by their ability to create opportunities, not to consume crises.