A prominent Lebanese Christian MP expressed support for any type of negotiation with Israel, whether direct or indirect, political, civilian, or military, as long as it serves to end the conflict in southern Lebanon.
Speaking to MTV Lebanon on Saturday, head of the Christian Kataeb Party, MP Samy Gemayel, said he would back such negotiations, even if they required the involvement of President Joseph Aoun, emphasizing that the priority must be to end the war and preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty.
He accused Hezbollah of obstructing the president’s efforts, enabling Israel’s military actions, and refusing to relinquish its weapons, rather than supporting a position that defends Lebanon’s independence and territorial integrity. He cautioned against repeating the “Gaza experience,” referring to displacement and erosion of land.
Gemayel also called on Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to uphold the constitution by placing a government-backed proposal on the legislative agenda that would allow Lebanese expatriates to vote for lawmakers from within Lebanon. He said Berri “only transmits messages and has no authority over any of the parties” involved in security or defense matters
Gemayel also accused Hezbollah of forcing Lebanese people to choose between “the very existence of the Lebanese entity and ceding sovereign powers to it, including control over arms and the authority to negotiate,” adding in his post on X/Twitter on Thursday that the group is “insisting on dragging us into another pointless and destructive war.”
Mounting tensions between Beirut and Washington
His blunt remarks come amid mounting tensions between Beirut and Washington.
The US has urged Lebanese leadership to take a firmer stance against Hezbollah, which it designates as a terrorist organization.
John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the US Treasury, told Reuters that Washington intends to use the current crisis to curb Iranian funding to Hezbollah and pressure the group to disarm.
Despite US-led sanctions that have severely impacted Iran’s economy, Tehran has transferred an estimated $ one billion to Hezbollah this year, Hurley said.
“The key,” he added, “is to remove Iranian influence and control, which begins with all the money they transfer to Hezbollah.”