Lawyer Elie Mahfoud, head of the Change Movement party, held a press conference on the afternoon of Thursday, January 1, 2026, during which he launched the “Third Message of Reason” addressed to the Shiites in Lebanon, which is titled: “Whoever has the courage to review preserves his position, role, and the future of his sect.”
In his speech, Mahfoud explained that what he is presenting is not a conventional political speech and does not aim to register gains, but rather a “final national warning,” noting that Lebanon is going through a very critical stage, and that continuing to ignore the facts, indulge, and be lenient will lead the country to a comprehensive disaster. He added that the political, security, and economic indicators portend the imminent moment of a major explosion, which calls for a radical and decisive adjustment before it is too late.
He also pointed out that the Lebanese crisis is no longer just a normal political dispute, but rather the result of a long accumulation of disrupting the work of the state, undermining its institutions, and confiscating its decision, by imposing an armed project outside the authority of the state, which led to the isolation of Lebanon, its financial and economic deterioration, and repeatedly exposed it to the dangers of wars and attacks, and made the Lebanese prisoners of military calculations that do not express their interests or the future of their children.
Mahfoud affirmed that the continued presence of weapons outside the authority of the state does not represent strength or deterrence, but rather means the existence of duality in decision-making, loss of sovereignty, and the transformation of Lebanon into an arena for regional and international conflicts, warning of the danger of a sudden military escalation or a large-scale war that could erupt at any moment, and the resulting additional destruction, casualties, displacement, and complete economic paralysis.
In comparison with other countries in the region, he drew attention to the experiences of countries that chose the logic of one state and stability, such as the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, considering that the success of these countries was not achieved through military force, but through building the state and investing in people and development, in contrast to Lebanon’s inability, despite its human capabilities, to provide the simplest rights to its citizens due to the absence of sovereign decision-making.
He stressed his concern for civil peace, but at the same time affirmed that this peace cannot be maintained by remaining silent about the danger or justifying the current reality, but by facing the truth, calling for full commitment to the Taif Agreement and international resolutions 1559, 1680, and 1701, and the logic of one state, one weapon, and one decision.
Mahfoud concluded his speech with a warning message, noting that Lebanon is approaching the “point of no return,” considering that any military resolution or widespread explosion will not represent a victory for anyone, but will be a comprehensive destruction, holding everyone who obstructs the building of the state and refuses to restrict weapons to it responsible for any future tragedy, and stressing that the choice has become clear: “Either a state that protects its people and secures their future, or chaos and collapse that engulf everyone.”
