Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel said Lebanon must enter a new phase in which the State fully restores its sovereignty and decision-making authority.

“We want to move Lebanon into a new phase where the State regains full decision-making power and control over all its territory,” Gemayel said in an interview on LBCI.

He warned that failure to complete the Lebanese Army’s mission, particularly north of the Litani River, would amount to “a catastrophe.”

Gemayel said the Kataeb Party has publicly called—“out in the open, not behind closed doors”—for direct dialogue and reconciliation with the Shiite community, stressing that the party does not seek to marginalize or exclude any sect.

“Unfortunately, Hezbollah did not respond to our calls to turn the page through honesty and reconciliation, both with the Shiite community and with Hezbollah itself, but without weapons,” he said. “We wanted to make one thing clear to the Shiite community: there is an alternative to Hezbollah’s weapons. Our issue is not with the Shiite sect. Our issue is with Hezbollah’s arms. We extended our hand to everyone to rebuild this country together.”

Gemayel said the core problem is that Hezbollah does not make its own decisions.

“Hezbollah does not decide for itself. Its decisions are made in Tehran,” he said.

He said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maintains a presence in Lebanon and that Iranian officers “directly oversee Hezbollah’s operations.”

“Hezbollah holds on to its weapons because Iran tells it to,” Gemayel said. “It has become a bargaining chip in Iran’s regional negotiations.”

He firmly rejected any proposal to “contain” Hezbollah’s weapons, calling it a dangerous illusion.

“In our political vocabulary, there is no such thing as ‘containing’ weapons,” he said. “Containment is just another word for postponing the problem.”

“What does containment even mean?” he asked. “That the weapons stay locked away and never get used? There is no militia in the world that doesn’t eventually use its weapons. Arms don’t rot in warehouses.”

“We want a country without militias,” Gemayel said. “Weapons must be dismantled and placed under State control, either handed over voluntarily or seized by the army, which has already done its job south of the Litani.”

Gemayel warned that if the Lebanese Army fails to carry its mission through to the end, including north of the Litani River, the consequences would be severe.

“Our top priority is dismantling the military-security apparatus that kills, carries out assassinations, and overturns Lebanon’s internal balance,” he said.

He said the Kataeb Party is counting on President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to honor their commitments regarding weapons control.

“We are waiting to see what the army does north of the Litani after the New Year,” Gemayel said.

He said the army must have a visible presence, establish checkpoints in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, and carry out raids on weapons depots.

“No one wants to drag the country into internal conflict,” he said. “This is a political decision, and the State has chosen to move step by step. The real test will come early next year north of the Litani.”

Gemayel categorically ruled out the possibility of civil war.

“There will be no civil war, and we will do everything possible to prevent any internal clash,” he said.

“The State is moving forward, but too slowly,” he added, while expressing reservations about criticism directed at the army commander.

“I know the intentions of the president and the army leadership,” he said. “Everyone wants to confine weapons and move forward without provoking tensions or clashes. But we have to move faster.”

He reiterated that Hezbollah must recognize that its armed role is coming to an end.

“Hezbollah has a choice,” Gemayel said. “It can hand over its weapons voluntarily, spare the country destruction and bloodshed, and place its arms under the authority of the army—or it can cling to them, expose Lebanon to another war, and see those weapons destroyed.”

Gemayel said he opposes the presence of any foreign troops in Lebanon.

“What protects Lebanon is restoring State sovereignty,” he said. “Real stability means the State regains control, reaches agreements that guarantee our borders and security, and puts an end to violations.”

He said weapons must be in the hands of the Lebanese Army—“not under Israeli control”—adding that Israel’s priority, according to U.S. officials, is its own security.

Gemayel said he sees no indication that Syria intends to attack Lebanon from the Bekaa Valley.

“Everything I’m hearing from Syria points to no intervention from the Bekaa,” he said.

He welcomed the appointment of former ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s chief negotiator in talks with Israel.

“This is an important step,” he said. “But none of it matters if weapons are not brought under State control.”

Gemayel stressed that Lebanon cannot afford to remain on the sidelines of regional developments.

“We cannot stay on the margins,” he said. “We need to move gradually, rejoin the Arab world, and be part of the new regional order taking shape.”

“This is not a time for political grandstanding,” he added. “For the first time in years, the State is moving in the right direction. We have a responsibility to support it.”

He said Lebanon must focus on economic recovery, warning that reconstruction is meaningless if destruction could return.

“Every lira matters for rebuilding,” he said. “But there is no point rebuilding if it can all be destroyed again. We are not out of the danger zone yet.”

Gemayel emphasized that the Shiite community should not be held responsible for Hezbollah’s actions.

“Hezbollah and Iran have taken people hostage,” he said, adding that the Shiite political duo prioritizes appeasing its base even as Israel carries out daily strikes and threatens escalation.

Gemayel praised Justice Minister Adel Nassar for his performance and patience, stressing the importance of a democratic State that respects the constitution and judicial independence.

“Is the justice minister supposed to open the prison doors and release everyone?” he asked.

He accused some officials of trying to “launder their image” at Nassar’s expense.

“If we release Syrians from prison, what do we say to the families of Lebanese detainees?” he asked, calling on parliament to establish clear standards.

Gemayel warned that parliamentary elections are at risk due to an electoral law the government itself has admitted it cannot implement.

“Either parliament clarifies the law or amends it,” he said. “Doing nothing puts the elections in jeopardy.”

He said Speaker Nabih Berri bears responsibility for saving the vote and accused him of violating parliamentary rules by adding draft laws to lure lawmakers into attending sessions.

Gemayel rejected any settlement that strips expatriates of their right to vote abroad and criticized statements by Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, saying they reflect Speaker Berri’s position more than that of President Aoun.

He recalled proposing five months ago that elections be postponed as long as weapons remain in circulation.

“Let’s agree on one principle: there can be no elections under the shadow of weapons,” he said. “If everyone is ready for that position, I’m ready too.”

Gemayel said no final electoral alliances have been formed.

“We’re talking to people who share our vision on weapons, sovereignty, and Lebanon’s future,” he said.

Reviewing President Aoun’s first year in office, Gemayel said the State has taken significant steps, including collecting weapons, passing the judicial independence law, and entering negotiations with Israel.

“Lebanon is moving in the right direction,” he said.

He concluded by extending holiday greetings to the Lebanese people.

“We wish the Lebanese a year of goodness,” Gemayel said, “and hope this marks the beginning of a long chapter of stability and prosperity.”