Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel views the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, as responsible for the current situation in Lebanon, holding the party accountable for the betrayal and death threats they face, which he considers serious. In an interview with "One Year of Vacuum" on LBCI, Gemayel stated, "Lebanon is on the brink of war, and we do not want Lebanon to experience what is happening in Gaza. I am keen on the lives of all Lebanese." He highlighted that the people of the South have suffered enough and emphasized that they do not want to give Israel a pretext to act against them as it has in Gaza.
Gemayel questioned, "Where are the Sunnis calling for war and involvement? How many of them are there? Why do they not go to the South? We cannot say that the Sunnis are for war." He noted that despite the sympathy shown by the Lebanese for the people of Gaza, the Lebanese people do not wish to drag Lebanon into this war, asking, "Which party in Lebanon has called for entering into war?" He confirmed that parties are rejecting this notion despite the compassion for Gaza, stating that the allegations of betrayal stem from their refusal to allow the party to monopolize decisions and drag them into war.
He reiterated his rejection of the party's hegemony over state and parliamentary decisions, lamenting that "Lebanon is confirmed to be taken hostage." Gemayel revealed that in the past two weeks, they have observed the party's influence on Lebanese decision-making, stating, "The people are waiting for Nasrallah's appearance, not the Prime Minister's, to determine Lebanon's stance on the war."
He expressed faith in the state and legitimate institutions, refusing to allow any entity outside legitimate forces to defend Lebanon. He emphasized their commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty and the military defense being limited strictly to the Lebanese army.
Gemayel criticized the party's attempt to tie Lebanon's fate to Iraq, Palestine, Syria, and others, pointing out that Hezbollah announced the unity of arenas and questioned, "Why should we give Israel an excuse to wage war against us?" He insisted that "no one wants the conflict to extend to Lebanon, and major powers are working to de-escalate the situation in the region."
Gemayel urged Nasrallah not to involve the country in the war, saying, "I do not ask him to surrender his weapons; he can keep his deterrent power, but I ask him not to give Israel an excuse to attack us and to allow the army to deploy with UNIFIL on the borders." He stressed that the strategy they adopt today is to endure and continue telling the truth to confront everything that happens without dragging the country into war, asserting that if Hezbollah persists in its actions, the people will rise against it.
In a different context, Gemayel clarified that MP Gebran Bassil, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, did not personally request an appointment with him but rather from the entire opposition, stating, "If he had asked, I would likely have received him."
