Lebanese Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel described Israel’s presence in southern Lebanon as “unacceptable” and stressed that negotiations with Israel are the only viable path forward for the country.

In an interview with France 24, Gemayel warned that “the alternative to negotiations is occupation and the destruction of Lebanon,” arguing that given the current imbalance of power, Lebanon must “choose the least bad scenario.”

Gemayel sharply criticized Hezbollah, saying the group “continues to provoke Israel and bears responsibility for the current situation.” He added that Hezbollah “is not a Lebanese party at all, but rather a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”

Highlighting the need to distinguish between the Shiite community and Hezbollah, Gemayel addressed Lebanese Shiites directly, saying, “The Lebanese are far closer to you than Iran.”

The Kataeb leader also cautioned against the risk of an internal conflict, describing it as “the worst-case scenario” and assuring that “efforts will continue to prevent it.”