Kataeb Party leader warns against Hezbollah's 'influence' on Lebanon's fate amidst Hamas-Israel tensions

On Tuesday, the leader of the Kataeb Party, Samy Gemayel, affirmed that "we will not change our positions, and we refuse to let anyone decide our future. We reject that Hezbollah or others drag Lebanon into destruction. Hezbollah opened the front in support of Hamas."

During his speech, he said that Hezbollah "decides for all of us what happens in the south, meaning that it has not only connected Lebanon but also linked us to Hamas. The future of the Lebanese is now linked to Hamas."

He affirmed that we must wait to see what happens between Hamas and Israel to determine whether Lebanon will enter a war or not.

Gemayel stated that "their goal is to protect Iran and its system in the region [...]  In reality, we must support any oppressed people, and this is our duty, but not to the extent of destroying our country."

The leader of the Kataeb Party reaffirmed the Palestinian people's right to have a state but rejected Lebanon's "destruction" for the sake of any country in the world. 

Gemayel reported, "We want a country of partnership, and we, who founded the country and participated in its establishment and independence for more than 85 years, insist on the 10,452 square kilometers."

"Whoever wants Lebanon to pay the price of Israel's security should 'pay' from his account and not ours," he added.

He said they want to be present on all platforms, and "we will not run away because we want to tell the truth to everyone. As long as checking identities is 'okay,' let us check the identity of Amos [Hochstein], for example, who fought with the Israeli army."