Kataeb lawmaker Nadim Gemayel on Wednesday slammed Hezbollah for unilaterally engaging in a war on the Lebanese southern border without seeking first the approval of the Lebanese State or the people, saying that the political group’s political and media goals of this conflict outweigh any achievable outcome.

"The military operations taking place between Hezbollah and Israel show that neither side wants to fully engage in war but rather drag the south into a conflict just for political propaganda," Gemayel said in an interview with Al-Arabiya channel.

"If Hezbollah's real goal is to liberate Jerusalem, why didn't they start the war earlier? Why did they wait until today to launch this barrage of rockets following the killing of one of their leaders?"

"We do not want to enter into war, but Hezbollah has forced us into it. We could have supported the Palestinian people in different ways, just as other nations do. We have great respect and sympathy for the Palestinian people, but Hezbollah's propaganda is dragging Lebanon into unnecessary troubles," Gemayel stressed.

"For what are we sacrificing the South, our economy, our tourism season, and our lives? The answer is political propaganda, which is extremely dangerous."

“During the Syrian occupation era, we were constantly accused of being Zionists just for opposing it," Gemayel said, pointing out that whoever demands sovereignty and freedom is labeled as a traitor and collaborator.

"We no longer have a complex about this accusation. Our primary concern is the interest of the Lebanese people," Gemayel stated.

Asked why the Kataeb party accepts to take part in parliaments and governments along with Hezbollah, the lawmaker noted that he had never given his vote of confidence to the successive Lebanese governments which included the 'Army, People, and Resistance' equation, which legitimizes Hezbollah's weapons, in their manifestos.

"Today, we are part of the parliament to maintain political balance, not to give anyone a blank check. While Hezbollah acts as if the country is its private property, we take pride in the legitimacy we represent in parliament to tell the world that this is our Lebanon. We are determined to liberate it from the current occupation under which we are living today."