Kataeb Leader MP Samy Gemayel emphasized that UNSC Resolution 1559 outlines the necessary steps to save Lebanon, saying that its implementation will have negated the need for UNSC Resolution 1701, as UNSC 1559 is fundamental.

“UNSC Resolution 1559 asserts Lebanon's right to arm only the Lebanese army and disarm militias. Without its enforcement, Lebanese lives will remain in perpetual uncertainty,” Gemayel said in an interview with LBCI.

“If UNSC Resolution 1701 is only partially implemented, Lebanon will remain hostage. UNSC Resolution 1559 would bring relief to Lebanon, whereas UNSC Resolution 1701 primarily benefitsIsrael,” he noted.

Gemayel indicated that in 1975, there had been international collusion against Lebanon. 

“The Kataeb Party stood against the conspiracy and succeeded, thanks to the Kataeb martyrs. Without their sacrifices, Lebanon would have become an alternative homeland,” he pointed out.

“We will not surrender to foreign will. We paid the price with the martyrdom of President Bachir Gemayel, Minister Pierre Gemayel, and many others. We will continue defending our country's freedom, openness, and peace, and we will not be part of any collusion,” the Kataeb Leader affirmed.

Gemayel stated that Israel had succeeded in prioritizing its interests for the West.

“We, as Lebanese, must be represented in the negotiations, which should be trilateral, not bilateral, given the absence of government and parliamentary meetings,” he said.

The Kataeb Leader stated that Israel had lived on Lebanon's borders without war or an open front for twenty years, from 1948 to 1968, explaining that during this period, Lebanon had been the third wealthiest country globally, with an advanced state and a budget surplus.

“We express humanitarian solidarity with the Palestinians, recognizing their plight and their right to a secure, independent state. We also believe that the massacres in Gaza are unacceptable,” Gemayel indicated.

He stated that "Hezbollah, by opening the support front, had demonstrated that its objective was not defending Gaza or the Palestinians, but rather promoting the Resistance Axis project within the Islamic world."

“This strategy came at a high propaganda cost, borne by hundreds of Lebanese affiliated with Hezbollah, portraying Iran as a defender of Gaza among Arabs,” he went on to say.

The Kataeb Leader noted that Hezbollah had succeeded in gaining acceptance and had made the Arab people forget its practices against the Syrian people through successful propaganda.

He questioned why Hezbollah didn't enter northern Israel on October 7 when the opportunity was favorable, if its goal was to liberate Palestine.

“If the Lebanese people continue to stand firm and oppose Hezbollah, the latter will fail. We urge the Lebanese state to adopt UNSC Resolution 1701 and fulfill its responsibilities,” Gemayel emphasized.

Gemayel explained that the delay in forming an opposition front was due to conditions set by those concerned with its structure.

“Our aim is a unified opposition, led by no single group, representing all sects, and united against Hezbollah's control over State's decisions,” he affirmed.

He pointed out that Hezbollah had not yet succeeded in imposing its presidential candidate because there were those opposing it.

Gemayel highlighted the battle on June 14, 2023, led by Jihad Azour, which he described as Hezbollah's biggest setback and a victory for the opposition.

“Why undermine the opposition efforts?” he asked.

“We are currently winning the presidential battle by preventing Hezbollah's presidential candidate from being elected. In the end, truth prevails, and we must remain steadfast, gaining new allies along the way,” the Kataeb Leader stressed.

He believed that Hezbollah did not seek to escalate the war and was prepared to sacrifice 500 Lebanese youth for Iran's agenda, noting that Hezbollah was carefully maneuvering, counting on Israel's reluctance for war.

“I am against war and do not support it as it is against Lebanon's interests. I take responsibility for every life lost because I represent all Lebanese,” he pointed out.

The Kataeb Leader expressed that if Lebanon were destroyed and thousands of Lebanese were killed, it would be a nightmare for everyone.

“Who authorized Hezbollah's Deputy Leader Naim Qassem to defend Hamas at the expense of destroying Lebanon?” Gemayel asked.

"I am against Naim Qassem and his resistance, and against anyone who hijacks my decisions and the Israeli forces that destroy my country,” he stressed.

Gemayel condemned the act of dragging the country into a destructive war without the consent of the Lebanese people, and forcing them to pay the price in exchange for Hezbollah getting what it wants, describing it as a high treason.

“Hezbollah's approach poses an existential threat to Lebanon and contradicts the Lebanese culture of joy, prosperity, and progress,” he pointed out.

The Kataeb Leader remarked that MP Gebran Bassil's recent stances regarding the Support Front, after previously attempting to differentiate himself, confirmed his renewed alliance with Hezbollah.

“I never bet that Bassil could separate from Hezbollah,” he said.

“I don't want my family to experience what Pierre's family went through. Does Gebran Bassil understand what it means to lose a close relative and have loved ones targeted? He shouldn't comment on this matter, and if his memory fails him, we do not forget,” Gemayel stated.

He noted that Hezbollah had succeeded in embarrassing Arab regimes through its propaganda in southern Lebanon, promoting Iran's acceptance, considering that “this has caused discomfort among some Arabs, leading to differing viewpoints.”

“Bkerke defends its principles, while the issue with Hezbollah lies in Bkerke's unwavering principles that cannot be compromised. What matters is Bkerke's fundamental stance that remains steadfast, as it represents an institution rather than an individual,” he said.

“No one can question our relationship with Bkerke; it is my home. However, I could not participate in a meeting like the one held with the Vatican Secretary of State for personal and logistical reasons,” he added.

“There is one group that consistently disrupts the presidential elections by preventing quorum and refusing to compromise on its candidate. Its daily actions demonstrate its reluctance to elect a president,” Gemayel concluded.