The Kataeb Party held a memorial gathering Monday at its central headquarters in Saifi to mark the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, honoring the victims and reiterating demands for justice, accountability, and the reassertion of full state authority in Lebanon.

Party leader Samy Gemayel opened his remarks by paying tribute to Nazar Najarian, the Kataeb’s former Secretary-General, who was among those killed in the August 4, 2020 explosion.

“On that day, Nazar was here in the headquarters. He never left before 8 p.m. He was doing his job, side by side with his fellow partisans, when the first blast hit. He stepped out of his office to see what had happened—then came the second explosion.”

Gemayel said the event conveyed two central messages.

“First, as the Kataeb Party, we are entrusted with pursuing justice. The Justice Minister is now providing the necessary conditions for the judiciary to do its work, having removed the obstacles that once stalled the investigation.”

Gemayel emphasized that the party, which holds the justice portfolio in the current government, has deliberately kept its distance from the probe.

“We have not interfered. We've allowed the investigating judge to proceed independently, with full conscience and freedom. The investigation had been frozen for three years. Thanks to Minister Adel Nassar, it has resumed. We hope the indictment will be issued soon, so the Lebanese can finally know the truth.”

Gemayel paid tribute to the Kataeb members who perished in the blast.

“We lost heroes, young and vibrant comrades. We still mourn them to this day, alongside all those who died on August 4.”

Gemayel linked the deadly blast to deeper structural failures within the Lebanese state. He argued that the tragedy was not an isolated event but the outcome of years of state erosion, political dysfunction, and the unchecked presence of armed groups.

“This explosion is not a separate incident—it’s a result. Such a catastrophe would never happen in a country governed by the rule of law. It wouldn’t happen in a sovereign state that controls its borders and its territory, free of militias and illegal weapons, where officials and ministers are performing their duties to protect citizens and ensure such tragedies never occur.”

“Our goal is for the Lebanese people to no longer live in fear of another August 4. This must mark the end of our national mourning. We want the Lebanese to begin a new chapter, and to have a country, a real state, and a future.”

Calling for a shift in national priorities, Gemayel said Lebanon’s resources and energy should be focused on development and rebuilding.

“We are at a turning point,” he said. “I call on the President, whom we trust, and the Prime Minister, who leads one of the most competent Cabinets in recent years, to recognize how critical this moment is. The people are waiting for bold leadership to move Lebanon from the grip of chaos and militias toward a state of accountability and law. No weapon should remain outside the state’s control.”

Gemayel said the Cabinet session scheduled for Tuesday, during which ministers are expected to discuss the issue of illegal arms, would be a historic one.

“We hope the government finds the courage to protect all Lebanese, from every sect and region, from the south to the Bekaa. We must secure the country’s infrastructure, restore our sovereignty, and impose state authority across all Lebanese territory.”

“This decision must be made. It’s not about pleasing anyone. It’s about doing what’s right for Lebanon.”

Gemayel addressed those opposed to disarmament, notably Hezbollah, saying the state must take the role of a responsible parent.

“We are protecting them whether they like it or not, just like a father protects his children from dangers they don’t yet see. The state must act like a parent; it understands what’s in the people’s best interest. If we truly want to turn the page and avoid another catastrophe like August 4—or worse, a new war—then now is the time to build a real state.”