Advisor to the leader of the Lebanese Kataeb Party and former Minister Elie Marouni emphasized that Lebanon has endured both foreign wars on its soil and conflicts between its own people. He warned that the country is at a crossroads, and while efforts have been made to raise awareness, allegiances to foreign powers have persisted, continuing to bring death and destruction to Lebanon.

In an interview on Voice of Lebanon, Marouni reflected on his personal experience during the Lebanese Civil War, saying: “I lived through the war in Zahle and witnessed the atrocities that occurred. I look with pride at the heroes who resisted and held their ground amidst death, destruction, and displacement. Zahle was under siege, with water and food blocked from entering the city, yet it stood firm. Thanks to the Kataeb Party’s efforts in organizing humanitarian, social, and medical support for civilians, Zahle managed to endure.”

“This resilience later played a role in enabling Bashir Gemayel to become president. Our founding leader, Pierre Gemayel, famously said, ‘If it weren’t for your resilience, Zahle, the face of Lebanon would have changed.’ We endured smaller sieges after that, but we preserved our presence until the Syrians entered the region. They came with their own internal plans, and like cancer, their influence began to spread throughout Lebanon. The strategy was to break Lebanese resistance, and some Lebanese people contributed to sustaining the war for 50 years, serving as instruments of foreign powers with vested interests in Lebanon’s destruction.”

Marouni also referenced recent remarks by President Amin Gemayel in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, where he shared his experiences with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. According to Marouni, President Assad viewed Lebanon as part of Syria, while the Lebanese resistance, led by President Gemayel, took a political and diplomatic approach, while fighters on the ground resisted Syrian incursions.

“What we’re recalling today in Ain El-Remmaneh is a call for reflection, to realize that continuing down this path will lead to the erasure of Lebanon as we know it,” Marouni said. “We must all take the steps proposed by Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel in his recent speech to Parliament and reiterate his call for a reconciliation and truth-telling conference. This country belongs to all of us, and we have all lived through the shelters, the bombings, the displacement, and the sieges. We don’t want our children to live through the same experiences. It’s time for everyone to learn from our history.”

Marouni further pointed out the division within Lebanon, saying that “there’s an internal faction still clinging to its weapons and statelet, while another group calls for a state based on the rule of law, institutions, and justice. It’s essential that all Lebanese reflect on the past 50 years and learn from them.”

“We want a state of law and institutions. Other issues, including the development of the system and the constitution, can be addressed, but only after we’ve built a functioning state and restricted arms to ensure our security and stability.”