A delegation from the Lebanese Kataeb Party met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail on Friday, with talks focusing on the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.

The delegation included MPs Nadim Gemayel and Elias Hankach, along with the party’s chief advisor and former minister Elie Marouni, and political bureau member and former minister, Alain Hakim, 

Following the meeting, Hankach shared the key messages conveyed to Mikati, emphasizing the urgent need for solidarity among the Lebanese people.

“We stressed that we must prioritize looking after one another and address the tragedy currently affecting the country,” he stated. 

Hankach pointed out that the state has direct responsibilities concerning the displaced population, particularly regarding housing solutions in the wake of the ongoing crisis.

“It is unacceptable for any Lebanese citizen to feel defeated. We have one authority, which is the Lebanese state, and we must all resort to it. It is no longer acceptable to revert to patchwork solutions; we need to build a genuine state based on new foundations.”

The immediate priority, Hankach insisted, is to establish a ceasefire.

“The country can no longer bear the violence, and the people can no longer endure it. Therefore, halting the fighting is essential for restoring political order in Lebanon and for laying the groundwork for a new Lebanon. This is the core issue, and we will work on it with various parties and the opposition. The Lebanese state must remain a law-abiding entity and the sole reference point.”

Hankach also underscored the importance of separating the conflict in Lebanon from the situation in Gaza, stressing the need to "separate the paths" and to enforced neutrality towards regional conflicts. 

For his part, MP Nadim Gemayel highlighted the delegation’s request for Mikati to secure necessary guarantees from Hezbollah to end the conflict. 

“The issue is not with the Lebanese state; the conflict is not between Israel and Lebanon, but rather it is between Israel and Hezbollah," Gemayel told Voice of Lebanon radio station. 

“We cannot demand a ceasefire unless we convince Hezbollah to separate Lebanon from Gaza," he added.

On the issue of the presidential election deadlock, Gemayel indicated that any concrete outcome regarding this matter would likely be influenced by the conflict's trajectory.

“We need to think about the presidential file seriously and effectively. The issue will be intertwined with the ceasefire and the current situation in Lebanon."

Kataeb's politburo member Alain Hakim described the meeting with Mikati as "very positive", stressing that the Kataeb party is concerned with what was agreed upon in the recent tripartite meeting held in Ain Al-Tineh in terms of the reconstruction of the state and the halt of hostilities.

"We must stop the fighting, attend to the displaced, and expedite the end of this phase. We are all in this together, and we must find practical solutions to rebuild the state," Hakim stated.