Kataeb Leader Political Advisor Sassine Sassine commemorated the late Minister Pierre Gemayel on the anniversary of his assassination, expressing profound sorrow over his loss.

"Today, we deeply miss him—his patriotism, his dedication, and his unwavering love for Lebanon," Sassine said.

Speaking to LBCI, Sassine criticized the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, asserting that they lack the structure of legitimate talks. “Negotiations occur between states, not between a party within a state and another country,” he said, adding that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is negotiating on behalf of Hezbollah, not the Lebanese state.

“Only the state’s official institutions are authorized to conduct negotiations,” Sassine emphasized, pointing out that Hezbollah’s actions have prevented the election of a president to ensure the negotiations remain exclusively under its control.

Sassine accused caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati of being a “bystander” in these negotiations, as they bypassed the government entirely, delegating authority to those appointed by Hezbollah.

He further stated, “Hezbollah’s withdrawal to the north of the Litani River does not constitute full implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701. Meanwhile, Israel seeks security south of the Litani. What prevents Hezbollah from launching missiles from the north? This agreement, as it stands, lacks clarity and appears to be an attempt by the Biden administration to secure a diplomatic victory before the end of its term.”

Sassine called for the ceasefire agreement to be presented to Parliament for ratification, arguing that only then would it become legitimate and official.

He added, “An agreement with Hezbollah is not an agreement with the Lebanese state, and we cannot place our trust in it. However, we support an immediate ceasefire, which we have demanded from the first day. This war is a proxy conflict between Iran and Israel, fought on Lebanese soil at the expense of the Lebanese people.”

On Syria’s role, Sassine noted that it had not entered the negotiations to commit to halting the transfer of arms into Lebanon.

Regarding the recent Israeli strikes on Syria's Palmyra, he remarked that the targets were Hezbollah members or Iranian officials, with no Syrian officials affected, as Syria has distanced itself from the ongoing Middle Eastern crisis.

Sassine highlighted the Kataeb Party’s openness to dialogue with all political factions, stating, “We are in contact with all parties. Our meeting with Speaker Berri reaffirmed the importance of Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that any agreement prioritizes the Lebanese state and its authority over all its territories, with no weapons outside state institutions.”

He criticized the inefficacy of the 2006 Resolution 1701 in securing Israel’s borders, citing the renewed conflict in 2023 as proof. “Israel now demands a long-term agreement to guarantee its security,” he explained, warning that any agreement failing to ensure exclusive state control over arms will not provide safety, either internally or regionally.

Sassine pointed out that Israel’s objectives have shifted, recognizing that Hezbollah’s strength extends beyond southern Lebanon, with missiles being launched from deeper within Lebanese territory and from Qusayr.

He also noted a broader regional project aimed at sidelining “resistance” forces, expressing hope that it could yield positive outcomes for Lebanon and the region.

He reiterated the Kataeb Party’s long-standing warnings about the dangers of illegal arms in Lebanon, stating, “Hezbollah’s obstinacy continues to bring calamities upon Lebanon. We fear any agreement that does not serve the interests of the Lebanese state.”

Sassine stressed that the Kataeb Party has urged foreign nations during party leader visits not to sacrifice Lebanon’s sovereignty for political deals, affirming that any agreement undermining Lebanese sovereignty is doomed to fail.

“We are at a crossroads: either we build a strong, free, and sovereign state, or we continue down the path of fragmented mini-states within a state,” Sassine declared.

He criticized Hezbollah for undermining judicial processes through its armed power and called for no entity to operate outside institutional frameworks.

He concluded by lamenting that international priorities in the ceasefire negotiations are centered on Israel’s security rather than Lebanon’s.

“Our sole focus should be Lebanon’s security. Why doesn’t Hezbollah take a historic decision to ceasefire and protect Lebanon?” he asked.

Sassine also noted that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein had discussed details of the American proposal with Berri, which will shape the outcome of the ongoing talks with Israel.