Kataeb Party to Lebanese officials: Act now to stop destruction
The Kataeb's political bureau held its weekly meeting under the chairmanship of party leader Samy Gemayel, and after discussing the recent alarming developments amidst, issued the following statement:
1. With the situation taking an unprecedented turn, marked by escalating Israeli threats and mass displacement, Lebanon’s official response cannot remain limited to verbal statements, awaiting decisive actions to stop the cycle of destruction that is now affecting all regions. The Kataeb Party calls on the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister to immediately take a clear and firm stance, demanding Hezbollah agree to an unconditional, immediate ceasefire. Furthermore, they must instruct the Lebanese Army to deploy along the borders, supported by a strong political decision, international resolutions, and UNIFIL forces, to block Israel’s advances and expose it to international scrutiny, thus stripping it of any justification for continuing its aggression and incursions into Lebanese territory.
2. The Kataeb Party believes that resolving the current crisis requires two parallel approaches. The first is a security approach that ensures weapons remain exclusively in the hands of legitimate Lebanese forces, preventing any faction from possessing arms. It has been proven that the presence of non-state arms only brings destruction to the country and those wielding them.
The second is a political approach that calls for a thorough reevaluation of Lebanon’s deep internal divisions and the restructuring of the political system. This must be based on new principles that ensure equality and partnership for all Lebanese, under the framework of the Constitution and the law. Moving away from a winner-takes-all mentality, which has cost Lebanon dearly, is essential to ending this destructive cycle. It is time to put an end to this vicious cycle.
3. The political bureau stresses the urgent need to work diligently on the swift return of displaced people to their regions before the situation escalates into a ticking time bomb threatening social stability. The recurrence of incidents involving the displaced and host communities highlights the need for security forces to intensify their presence, to prevent external actors from exploiting the situation for purposes that serve no one’s interests.
