Former MP Fares Souaid: There is a clear decision to isolate Hezbollah in 2026 elections

Former MP Fares Souaid said Thursday that Hezbollah is working to secure an Arab-backed channel to negotiate with Israel, adding that the group would seize any opportunity to enter talks and obtain mutual guarantees if given the chance.

Speaking on LBCI’s “Nharkom Said” TV show, Souaid said, “We are discovering day by day that there is a Christian separation from the idea of Lebanon and coexistence, and that what benefits Christians most today is peace.”

Souaid clarified that he has no personal dispute with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, noting that they share a common struggle but differ significantly on several issues, particularly their approach to the Christian role in Lebanon. “The true guarantee for Christians,” he said, “is coexistence.”

On the upcoming parliamentary elections, Souaid stated that there is a clear decision to isolate Hezbollah politically and that Lebanon is heading toward “a completely different reality” in the 2026 vote. He confirmed that the elections will take place on schedule and stressed that expatriates must not be deprived of their right to vote.

Souaid also revealed that the March 14 parties facilitated the return of 19,000 voters from abroad to cast their ballots in Lebanon.

Turning to regional developments, he said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is “presenting his credentials” to engage in major regional issues of interest to Washington, adding that the Sunni political decision-making center has now shifted “from Lebanon to Damascus.”