Berri: Division of Any Country in Region Will Lead to Sectarian, Ethnic Strife

Speaker Nabih Berri congratulated his American counterpart John Boehner on his election as speaker, hoping that he will support Lebanon, its stability and security, as well as the unity of the countries of the region.

He warned in his congratulatory cable: “Division of any country in the region will lead to sectarian and ethnic strife.”

He also hoped that Boehner would launch parliamentary diplomatic initiatives to become more informed of the “facts the Middle East and the truth behind the developments in the regions.”

“This will enable you to play a wider role in resolving the Palestinian crisis, which is at the core of the conflict in the region,” added Berri.

Earlier on Monday, he had sent messages to the heads of European, Islamic, Arab, Asian, and Francophone parliaments to address the plight of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation.

“The number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails is mounting, with some 3,200 being detained in 2012 … bringing the total number of prisoners to 400,000, including some who have been held in jail for over 20 years,” he said.

On that note, he pointed out to the ongoing imprisonment of Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Counil Aziz Duwaik, which demands parliamentary action on the international level to ensure his release along with all other lawmakers and prisoners.

“Israel represents the greatest prison for political prisoners in the world,” stressed Berri.