The head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, met in Maarab with MP Nadim Gemayel, an envoy from the Lebanese Phalanges party, accompanied by political bureau member Maroun Asaf, in the presence of former Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani, MP Jihad Bikaradouni, and Beirut area coordinator Eli Charbaji. Following the hour-long meeting, Gemayel emphasized that "in light of the circumstances and difficulties the country is experiencing today and the threats facing all Lebanese, this meeting was necessary for closeness, discussion, and deliberation. Therefore, we as a Phalange delegation wanted to visit today 'the wise man' to discuss with him all political developments, especially how to face the threats facing the country and its people."
Gemayel, who described the meeting as "good," expressed hope for "perpetual closeness, especially between the Phalanges and the Forces, who share the same strategic position and move in the same direction regarding the national project. While we may occasionally agree or disagree on certain matters, these are merely political tactical issues, and thus this is the most important point we can affirm today." In response to a question, he clarified that "the political bureau of the Phalange party is still discussing the legislative session called by President Nabih Berri for next Thursday and is keeping its meetings open for this purpose. He said, 'I was in a political bureau meeting and left to come to Maarab, and our stance on the parliamentary session is being coordinated with all opposition forces. We have decided to agree with the various factions of the opposition on whether to participate in the session or not. We have our opinion, and the Forces have theirs, as do some opposition forces, but we decided to collaborate in making this decision so that we are united, whether it be in attending or boycotting the session, considering that the unity of the opposition is fundamental to our national and political work in the Parliament.'"
For his part, Hasbani welcomed MP Gemayel and the Phalange party to Maarab, praising this step and saying, "We are in constant communication and coordination on many positions, either within the opposition or in a bilateral manner between the two parties. These positive steps bode well for progress toward better coordination and joint work under the umbrella of the national constants we share, and even more than that, they are closely tied together. From that point onward, and in order to preserve Lebanon and the foundations of state-building, we embark on this discussion that grows, continues, and further solidifies this historical relationship."
He continued, "Before us is a challenge and a requirement concerning the leadership of the Lebanese army. Lebanon is threatened by numerous military risks, and the phase is very delicate. Hence, we must all work to preserve the Lebanese army and its stability without any shake, starting with leadership, and no one should interfere with this institution, which is still standing and defending Lebanese territories and maintaining security and military stability in light of this difficult crisis." He added, "The dialogue between two historic parties, such as the Lebanese Forces and the Lebanese Phalanges, contributes more and more to strengthening this steadfastness and this position toward the official institutions in Lebanon, which we need for state-building and revival. Thus, we are continuously coordinating in our positions; there may be different approaches, but the goal is the same, and we work to discuss reaching these common goals, especially as we are in the process of confronting dangerous conspiracies besetting Lebanon from within and outside. From here, this phase requires awareness and harmony in approaches and positions within the opposition framework, specifically between the two parties that have witnessed Lebanon's history since its inception and through its difficult stages, leading to this critical phase."
