The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, blamed the conflict in southern Lebanon on those who "decided to involve Lebanon" (in the war between Hamas and Israel since October 7), while not ruling out the Lebanese government's responsibility for ensuring the country's security. He also addressed the issue of the presidential election, reiterating his firm opposition to the dialogue called for by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berry.
At an iftar organized in Meerab in the presence of the Republic's Mufti, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, the LF leader declared, "Whoever decided to involve Lebanon (in the conflict, editor's note) certainly bears responsibility and the consequences," in an allusion to Hezbollah.
It is also "all those who allied themselves with the Axis of Resistance (Mumanaa Axis) and participated in the formation of the government, in its current composition, who bear responsibility, as the project of the Axis in question is well known."
For its part, the government also bears a large share of the responsibility, according to Geagea, since "even if it is a caretaker government, it is the existing legitimate authority and must therefore prevent any stakeholder from acting freely on Lebanese territory." And he insisted on the need to work immediately for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which would be accompanied by the deployment of the Lebanese Army at the border, to ensure the country's security.”
Presidential Elections
The leader of the LF said that the only way to break the deadlock was for "the Speaker of Parliament to call for an open electoral session with successive rounds."
In this context, he denounced the actions of the Axis of Resistance, which "has repeatedly disrupted and boycotted the sessions scheduled for this purpose, since it is aware of its inability to ensure the success of its candidate, Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh, and refuses to allow any other candidate to accede to the head of state."
On the intentions of each camp, Geagea said that "the opposition is looking for a president who can rebuild the state, re-establish its sovereignty, and focus on the necessary reforms, while the axis of resistance is working to have a president who will ensure the perpetuation of the dominant reality, i.e. a state for form's sake, where sovereignty and the Constitution have no place, and which will allow Hezbollah to continue to take decisions that affect the country's future."
On the subject of the dialogue called for by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berry, Geagea described this invitation as "submission, which is rejected by a large part of the Lebanese people, represented by the sovereign opposition," but also as a "flagrant violation of the Constitution." Article 73 of the Constitution stipulates that "at least one month and at most two months before the expiry of the powers of the president of the Republic, the Parliament shall meet at the invitation of its speaker to elect a new president. In the absence of a convocation, this meeting will take place as of right on the tenth day before the end of the presidential term of office".
War in Gaza
If "the declared aim of the war in Gaza is to eliminate Hamas," what is implicitly intended, according to Geagea, is to "provoke the displacement of the population of the Gaza Strip," a fact that "the whole world, including the United States, should refuse, whatever the motives and justifications."
Turning to the "positive side (so to speak)" of the conflict, the LF leader declared that "everyone agrees that the war in Gaza must be the last war for the Palestinian cause," especially as "many have tried to exploit the issue with misleading slogans, such as that of unity of fronts." In this sense, he pointed the finger at the Iranians, who are only committed to supporting the Palestinians through "limited interventions aimed at maintaining Iranian influence in the region."
At an iftar organized in Meerab in the presence of the Republic's Mufti, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, the LF leader declared, "Whoever decided to involve Lebanon (in the conflict, editor's note) certainly bears responsibility and the consequences," in an allusion to Hezbollah.
It is also "all those who allied themselves with the Axis of Resistance (Mumanaa Axis) and participated in the formation of the government, in its current composition, who bear responsibility, as the project of the Axis in question is well known."
For its part, the government also bears a large share of the responsibility, according to Geagea, since "even if it is a caretaker government, it is the existing legitimate authority and must therefore prevent any stakeholder from acting freely on Lebanese territory." And he insisted on the need to work immediately for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which would be accompanied by the deployment of the Lebanese Army at the border, to ensure the country's security.”
Presidential Elections
The leader of the LF said that the only way to break the deadlock was for "the Speaker of Parliament to call for an open electoral session with successive rounds."
In this context, he denounced the actions of the Axis of Resistance, which "has repeatedly disrupted and boycotted the sessions scheduled for this purpose, since it is aware of its inability to ensure the success of its candidate, Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh, and refuses to allow any other candidate to accede to the head of state."
On the intentions of each camp, Geagea said that "the opposition is looking for a president who can rebuild the state, re-establish its sovereignty, and focus on the necessary reforms, while the axis of resistance is working to have a president who will ensure the perpetuation of the dominant reality, i.e. a state for form's sake, where sovereignty and the Constitution have no place, and which will allow Hezbollah to continue to take decisions that affect the country's future."
On the subject of the dialogue called for by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berry, Geagea described this invitation as "submission, which is rejected by a large part of the Lebanese people, represented by the sovereign opposition," but also as a "flagrant violation of the Constitution." Article 73 of the Constitution stipulates that "at least one month and at most two months before the expiry of the powers of the president of the Republic, the Parliament shall meet at the invitation of its speaker to elect a new president. In the absence of a convocation, this meeting will take place as of right on the tenth day before the end of the presidential term of office".
War in Gaza
If "the declared aim of the war in Gaza is to eliminate Hamas," what is implicitly intended, according to Geagea, is to "provoke the displacement of the population of the Gaza Strip," a fact that "the whole world, including the United States, should refuse, whatever the motives and justifications."
Turning to the "positive side (so to speak)" of the conflict, the LF leader declared that "everyone agrees that the war in Gaza must be the last war for the Palestinian cause," especially as "many have tried to exploit the issue with misleading slogans, such as that of unity of fronts." In this sense, he pointed the finger at the Iranians, who are only committed to supporting the Palestinians through "limited interventions aimed at maintaining Iranian influence in the region."
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