Lebanese MP calls for NATO membership, drawing public ridicule

Lebanese MP Walid Al-Baarini, a Sunni lawmaker and member of the National Moderation Bloc, has called on the Lebanese state to "take a bold stance and submit a request to join NATO as soon as possible", triggering a wave of public ridicule and criticism over the political and legal implausibility of such a move.

Speaking during a tour of the Akkar region, Al-Baarini said his proposal was rooted in a desire to protect Lebanon, not to entangle it in global military blocs.

He said that the call came in response to what he described as years of deception by a regional axis that "collapsed more quickly than anyone had expected".

He claimed that joining NATO would provide Lebanon with protection from Israeli and other external attacks, asserting that once a country becomes a member, all NATO states would be obligated to defend it.

He also argued that NATO could help arm and support Lebanon's military and security forces, and that the alliance would offer the country an international political umbrella to shield it from regional threats.

According to Al-Baarini, the events of recent years had proven that diplomacy, rather than slogans or ideology, was the only force capable of protecting Lebanon.

He concluded that Lebanon must reconsider its place in what he described as a new regional order, following what he saw as the fall of the so-called resistance axis.

His remarks were met with immediate and widespread ridicule online. Social media users mocked the idea that Lebanon, a small and politically fractured country, could be admitted to NATO.

One user joked that Al-Baarini "has a bundle of bread and four goats and wants to join NATO", suggesting he should first join a local charity and "do something useful". Another comment likened his understanding of NATO to a karate club that anyone can sign up for.

Beyond the mockery, critics pointed out fundamental flaws in the suggestion. NATO's founding treaty, specifically Article 10, clearly states that only European countries are eligible to apply for membership.

Lebanon, located in the Middle East, does not meet that basic requirement. The country also remains in a formal state of hostility with Israel, which is a key NATO partner. Internally, Lebanon is politically divided, with factions such as Hezbollah deeply opposed to Western military alliances and to any form of normalisation with Israel.

There is also no regional precedent for such a move. No Arab or Middle Eastern country has ever been admitted to NATO. While some have participated in partnership programs with the alliance, NATO membership has been reserved for European and certain Eurasian states.

This is not the first time Al-Baarini has stirred controversy with remarks that challenge Lebanon’s long-held foreign policy positions.

In April, he became the first Lebanese MP to publicly call for normalisation with Israel. In a post on X, he said he would support normalisation if it served Lebanon's interests by protecting it from aggression, helping to recover occupied Lebanese territory, and promoting peace and prosperity.

He criticised what he called political overbidding and "arrogance" and said Lebanon's position should align with wider Arab diplomatic efforts, particularly those led by Saudi Arabia.

Al-Baarini’s call for normalisation was seen by many as a direct challenge to Hezbollah's rejectionist position. His remarks drew sharp condemnation from across Lebanon's political, religious, and civil spectrum, where they were widely viewed as a betrayal of Lebanese and Palestinian rights.

His comments came as Israel continues to occupy Lebanese lands in the south and violates daily the ceasefire agreement, which came into force in November 2024.