The Lebanese Forces party has called for a national conference to address the Israeli war on Lebanon.
The conference, which will take place at the party’s headquarters in Maarab, aims to establish a political framework to halt the war, in cooperation with Arab nations and the international community, according to sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat.
The sources said invitations have been sent to opposition parties, independent MPs, and national figures, though key groups such as Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and the Marada Movement have not been invited.
They also noted that the goal is to “create a roadmap to rescue Lebanon from the destruction caused by its involvement in the conflict and to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people, who have endured violence, displacement, and destruction.”
The conference will emphasize the need for peace, prosperity, and the reconstruction of Lebanon, reflecting the will of the majority of the Lebanese population who feel powerless in the face of ongoing turmoil, the sources stressed.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, a source within the LF said that the party has remained “strategically silent out of respect for the war’s victims” but now believes it is time to speak up. The party’s leader, Dr. Samir Geagea, will outline key solutions, including an immediate ceasefire, full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the urgent election of a president. These proposals are intended to appeal to both domestic and international audiences, including Iran and Israel, according to the same source.
The call for a conference follows an earlier initiative by opposition MPs, including those from the Lebanese Forces, which called for the Lebanese state to reclaim control, distance Lebanon from regional conflicts, and commit to a ceasefire and the full implementation of international resolutions. However, that initiative did not yield significant results.
While there are no guarantees that the Maarab conference will lead to immediate solutions, the source in the LF said that the party is determined to push forward, pointing that a follow-up committee will be formed to engage with political forces in Lebanon and key international stakeholders, including the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
