Gemayel meets French Envoy, says Hezbollah must abide by state decisions
Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel said Hezbollah, as a member of Lebanon’s government, must abide by State decisions, stressing that only Lebanon’s legitimate institutions are entitled to take major national choices.
Gemayel’s remarks came after a meeting with French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian at the Kataeb Party headquarters in Saifi.
He said France continues to play a key role in supporting Lebanon’s State institutions and in backing efforts aimed at restoring full sovereignty, adding that Le Drian is continuing his diplomatic efforts to support Lebanon during what he described as a sensitive and decisive phase.
Gemayel reaffirmed the Kataeb Party’s support for the Lebanese State, President Joseph Aoun, and the government in ongoing negotiations, stressing that past experiences had shown the failure of attempts to impose unilateral decisions on the country. He said national institutions alone have the legitimacy to decide Lebanon’s major strategic choices.
He added that Hezbollah now faces a clear choice: either continue aligning Lebanon with Iran’s regional agenda—at what he described as a significant national cost—or fully integrate into the Lebanese State and operate under its authority.
Hezbollah is represented in the government, Gemayel said. Therefore, compliance with State decisions is not a concession to anyone. It is a commitment to the law, the Constitution, and the principle of equality among all Lebanese.
He also pointed to what he described as an important role for national Shiite figures and political forces in the current period, praising recent positions expressed in Tyre and Nabatiyeh calling for the use of diplomatic channels to end the war and reinforce State authority across the country.
Gemayel said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Amal Movement carry a key responsibility in supporting state institutions, the government and ongoing negotiations, as well as backing the Lebanese Army’s efforts to extend state authority across all Lebanese territory.
He concluded that while the Lebanese State has shown openness and flexibility in recent months, the current situation requires greater firmness in enforcing its decisions and asserting its authority.
