Former Minister Elie Marouni, advisor to the leader of the Kataeb Party, emphasized the importance of extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), highlighting that this is crucial for maintaining international legitimacy, preserving the Blue Line, and safeguarding Lebanon's territorial integrity.

In an interview with Al-Anbaa Online, Marouni underscored that the presence of UNIFIL is symbolic, as it represents international recognition of Lebanon’s borders, stressing that the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, along with other international decisions, requires the agreement of both Lebanon and Israel.

“Do both parties, Lebanon and Israel, want to implement Resolution 1701? Will Hezbollah retreat a few kilometers after all the battles it has fought, even though such a retreat would be insignificant given the advancement of modern weapons and their precise ability to achieve their targets anywhere?”

Marouni further questioned the current state’s ability to comply with Resolution 1701 and highlighted the absence of a President of the Republic to oversee negotiations regarding the resolution.

“Where is the state that will agree to Resolution 1701, and where is the President of the Republic to oversee the negotiations regarding it?” 

On the domestic front, Marouni noted that a solution to the ongoing presidential election bottleneck remains elusive as long as there is a persistent insistence on the presidential bid of Sleiman Frangieh, coupled with the other team's rejection of any other candidate. 

Marouni argued that Hezbollah seeks compensation for its involvement in the war and desires guarantees through a president it finds agreeable.