NNA - Kataeb Party leader, Samy Gemayel, on Thursday expressed belief that all the Lebanese are aware of the security chaos and the control of militias over Lebanese territories.

"As long as there are armed Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias inside Lebanese territories, and as long as the Lebanese state is incapable of asserting its sovereignty, we will witness further security breakdowns and the situation will deteriorate," Gemayel said in an interview with "Hala London" television.

"We have not moved beyond the era of assassinations. The assassination of Lokman Slim occurred in 2021, and we continue to live under constant pressure, threats, verbal violence, and incitement, some of which manifest in reality. As long as armed militias exist alongside border laxity, the situation will remain unchanged," he pointed out.

"The incident of the assassination of the Lebanese Forces coordinator in Jbeil district Pascal Sleiman highlights firstly the issue of border laxity and Hezbollah's control over these points, as well as its presence in Lebanon and Syria. This region has become susceptible to all types of crimes, thefts, and smuggling in all its forms," he noted.

"In all that we are going through, we have noticed a complete absence of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) effectiveness, especially in critical missions that require their presence. The underlying reasons for this absence are well-known, including limitations in resources and a decrease in personnel. However, this problem opens the door to all kinds of individual or organized crimes, contributing to a climate of tension and fear among citizens," he added.

"The situation has become clear, and Hezbollah's policy undermines the state's existence and authority, hindering its ability to control its borders, thereby contributing to the rise in crime, theft, and lawlessness. As for the political targeting that occurs due to specific political stances, we have seen this before during March 14 and beyond. These crimes differ from what we are witnessing today, and it cannot be confirmed if they apply to what happened with Pascal Sleiman. We await investigations to understand the motives behind this crime," Gemayel emphasized.

"The concept of clear political targeting, as seen with Lokman Slim due to his political positions, can be confirmed. Moreover, the incitement and defamation campaigns we are witnessing today also fall under the category of political targeting," he affirmed.

Regarding the coordination between the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party following the murder of Pascal Sleiman, Gemayel stated, "The important thing is the political stance. When the Maarab Agreement collapsed and the Lebanese Forces returned to their historical line, the relationship resumed. The disagreement was over voting for Michel Aoun, and we were in opposition to the government that included the Lebanese Forces aligned with the settlement team. When the Maarab Agreement collapsed, the political stance brought us back together. We do not deviate from our principles or have personal considerations. Our solidarity with the Lebanese Forces is based on conviction, and we must stand by their side in the tragedy they experienced."

"We agree with the Lebanese Forces on the general line and confronting Hezbollah. Today, there is an operation to liberate the country that must happen, and we hope to continue in this direction. It is natural for us to stand together in the upcoming phase, and our sole consideration is to agree on where we are heading. The problem with the Lebanese Forces no longer exists, and coordination is ongoing," he added.

Regarding the war in the south and support for Gaza, Gemayel clarified, "Hezbollah initially stated that it opened a supportive front, meaning it is conducting offensive rather than defensive actions, and therefore cannot attack and defend simultaneously. It must choose, and it says both at the same time. Therefore, there is a contradiction in the stance. Hezbollah's problem is that it wants to tell the Palestinians that it defends them and that Iran defends the Palestinian cause under the pretext of confronting Israel, while it failed to distract Israel, resulting in significant destruction in Gaza."

He pointed out that "Hezbollah's step failed because Israel did not heed it, but rather completed its work and destroyed Gaza, killing thousands. On the other hand, it claims to defend the Lebanese but has caused attacks against them. From here, Hezbollah manipulates Lebanon's future and decides on behalf of the Lebanese. This is a hijacking of the government's decision and an announcement of taking control over the country."

Regarding Iran's response to Israel, the Kataeb Leader believed that "Iran warned Israel three days before the bombing and coordinated with the Americans on how to shoot down the missiles before launching them. Therefore, Iran and Hezbollah do not want to go to a place where they expose the system to harm and danger, but they cannot guarantee Israel's reaction. There is a high possibility that Israel has an interest in striking us. Hezbollah and Iran provide this excuse to Israel to expand the war on Lebanon, which is what we fear. Hezbollah is leading us to disaster."

"We had an opportunity for calm because the international community was working to prevent the war from expanding, and we had to take advantage of it to implement UNSC Resolution 1701 to protect Lebanon. For us, the solution is for the state to regain its sovereignty over all territories, for the army to be deployed on the borders, and to implement Resolutions UNSC 1559 and 1701," he stated.

"I respect every person who dies for their cause, and I am sorry for the loss of young people who have fallen victim to Hezbollah's misguided policies. They could have contributed to building the future of Lebanon, but they have become part of an Iranian strategy at the expense of Lebanon," he said.

He emphasized that Hezbollah's performance is divisive because it puts the Lebanese people in two bad choices: submission and acceptance of living as second-class citizens, or rebelling against it in war.

Gemayel considered that Hezbollah is pushing the country towards tension and leading it into difficult and impossible choices.

The Kataeb Leader rejected Hezbollah's performance, its armed presence, continuous threats, defamation, patronizing behavior, and Hassan Nasrallah's recent provocative remarks directed at the Lebanese people.

"Today, there is an armed militia that threatens us and pushes us towards calamity while we adhere to the law, constitution, and institutions, and we seek to live in peace. What crime are we committing?!" he asked.

Gemayel reiterated his assertion that Lebanon is kidnapped, saying that the legitimate state is held hostage.

He considered that Hezbollah must accept the conditions of the state to prevent the country from heading into the unknown, as they will not accept living as second-class citizens.

"I will continue to speak the truth with respect, and I have the right to live with dignity, which I will not compromise. The rest is open to discussion. Our goal is to live on our land with our dignity and freedom, alongside all Lebanese. It is up to the Hezbollah's supporters to decide whether they want to continue with the separatist logic away from the concept of the republic or be part of it, and we will welcome them," he indicated.

Gemayel affirmed his commitment to a free Lebanon characterized by diversity, openness, culture, beauty, life, and progress, contrasting it with another faction that introduces foreign concepts to the Lebanon we know.

=====================