Lebanese Forces Party Leader Samir Geagea warned Hezbollah of engaging, alongside Iran, in any war that might break out in the region and considered such move as the “ruin of Lebanon.”
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Geagea noted that in the event of the eruption of a major Israeli-Iranian and US-Iranian confrontation, “which I believe is unlikely now”, Hezbollah “will think a lot” before engaging in it, “because it is not a simple thing and we should have a clear position taking into consideration the country’s interests.”
“No one should take part in any adventure because it is not the time for adventures. The region will be burning and we do not accept that anyone implicates the country and destroys it except in case of direct attack from any foreign country on Lebanon,” he stated.
On a different note, the LF leader said that the circumstances of the recent naturalization decree “constituted a blow to the tenure of President Michel Aoun,” ruling out, however, the president’s direct responsibility for the names included in the decree.
“Although it was the president who signed the decree, I believe that he was not informed of all the names included,” he said.
Geagea stressed that the problem with the current naturalization decree was that no one knew anything about it, which has raised many doubts.
“Everything was done secretly, away from politicians as well,” he said, adding: “Reactions among the Lebanese communities, whether among Shiite, Sunni, Christian or Druze, were negative, because those concerned behaved in a very suspicious manner, and therefore we couldn't remain silent on a subject like this, regardless of whether it was the best decree of the universe.”
On his assessment of the latest parliamentary elections, Geagea said his party fought the electoral battle alone, except in three districts where it allied with the Kataeb party.
He underlined in this regard that the Lebanese Forces’ electoral alliances were based on the party’s political stances, and were not mere alliances without any political meaning.
“We have fought the elections with new and acceptable figures, who reflect our reality and the image we would like to see in power and governance in Lebanon,” he noted.
As for the LF share in the next government, Geagea said his party must be represented based on its “popular, political and parliamentary size.”
“The elections proved that there are two great forces within the Christian community. They proved that there are equal forces,” he explained, noting that Christian representation in the government must be agreed upon by the LF and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the president.
Asked about his party’s relation with Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, the LF leader emphasized that the real problem was not about governmental shares and ministerial portfolios, but about the principle of partnership.
“Bassil’s concept of partnership is to support anything that he does. As for us, partnership is when we agree and support each other in anything we want to do, and if no agreement is reached, we don’t support the step that we have not agreed upon,” he explained.
He noted in this regard that Bassil “considers himself to be representing the tenure”, but the LF always “avoids dragging the presidency into internal sensitivities.”
Geagea also said he believed that there were no obstacles hampering the formation of a new government.
