Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea criticized the words of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, who called on Friday for a normalization of relations with the regime of Bashar Al-Assad to allow the return of refugees. Nasrallah had also signaled an internal normalization with the presidential vacancy and refused that the caretaker government appoints a new Governor to head the Central Bank. He had also maintained the option of a security escalation with Israel in response to the situation in Gaza.
“If Hassan Nasrallah is concerned about electing a president, why has he been blocking elections for six months? Why doesn’t he call for a presidential election session? He does not do it because the Hezbollah’s candidate will not be able to win; that’s why he favors the presidential vacuum,” Geagea said in an interview with Lebanese daily Nidaa Al-Watan on Saturday.
Regarding the refusal of the leader of the pro-Iranian formation to allow a resigning government to appoint a new governor for the Central Bank, Geagea explained that a cabinet in charge of expediting current affairs cannot make appointments and can only meet for urgent matters. “However, given that the term of Banque du Liban’s Governor Riad Salameh is coming to an end, nothing is more urgent than appointing a new governor. Public administrations can manage current affairs, but not the Bank of Lebanon, which needs to fully fulfill its role”, he said.
Turning to the issue of Syrian refugees, the Christian leader stressed that there is no longer any reason to call them refugees or displaced people and that they are Syrians who are in Lebanon and are therefore subject to the laws in force. Geagea added: “The circumstances have changed. Everyone knows that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad does not want Syrians to return from Lebanon for strategic, demographic, and political reasons. He also does not want the return of Syrians from Jordan and Turkey. Although Jordan did not completely break with Assad’s regime and played a key role in his return to the Arab League, no Syrian refugee in Jordan has returned home.”
Moreover, Samir Geagea expressed the lack of clear understanding of Hassan Nasrallah’s positions regarding Syria. “I do not understand how Mr. Nasrallah overlooks the facts in this way, and suggests a solution that cannot be called one, by supporting the legitimacy of the Assad regime and asking the caretaker government to establish normal political relations with Syria,” he said. “Many unsuccessful attempts have been made in this direction on several ministerial and non-ministerial levels. Begging Bashar Al-Assad will serve no purpose.” Geagea continued: “At this stage, the refugees’ issue is a Lebanese sovereign decision. They must be classified and listed according to specific criteria that will determine who can stay in Lebanon and who must be expelled. It is the responsibility responsibility of the government, which the Hezbollah is part of, to decide on the return of Syrians.”
Furthermore, the LF leader addressed the Palestinian-Israeli clashes in Gaza, as well as the threats made by Hezbollah’s leader: “When Nasrallah declares that he will not hesitate to lend a hand to the Palestinian resistance fighters if he deems it necessary, he is once again confiscating from the Lebanese people and government a decision that is supposed to be ultimately sovereign,” he said. “Nasrallah, you are part of the government; therefore, any decision must be taken there, otherwise it is considered a new violation of the rights of the Lebanese people”, concluded Samir Geagea.
