Prime Minister Najib Mikati Admits Hizbullah Is Calling The Shots In Lebanon: The Decision Whether To Go To War With Israel Is 'Not In My Hands'

In an October 14, 2023 interview, with Al-Jadeed TV (Lebanon), Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Israel’s "provocations must not continue" and that it was not up to him whether to go to war with Israel. When the interviewer was surprised to hear such a statement, Mikati asked her whether she was speaking "from Lebanon or from Curaçao Islands," and said that she is well aware of the situation.

Najib Mikati: "In the first three days, everybody was asking Hizbullah to restrain itself, but I renewed my contract [with it] in the past three days, and I say that Israel must stop provoking Hizbullah. Its provocations must not continue. In the [past] three days, the casualties were from Hizbullah. So we see a kind of provocation, but so far, Hizbullah, in cooperation with us... What I am trying to achieve... You know full well that these decisions are not in my hands personally, but I completely fulfill my duty, in order to protect Lebanon."

Interviewer: "Mr. Prime Minister, what does it mean that these decisions are not in your hands personally? It sounds as if the Lebanese government does not get to decide whether to go to war or to go for peace."

Mikati: "Yesterday, [an Israeli] statement placed the responsibility for instability or war with Israel on the Lebanese government. Are you talking to me from Lebanon or from Curaçao Islands? You live in Lebanon, and you are aware of the situation. Let's be realistic. I am doing what I can, but is it the Lebanese government that gets to decide whether to go to war? Where are you? Where are they?"