Reactions and comments continue to mount regarding the kidnapping of Pascal Sleiman, the "Lebanese Forces" coordinator in Jbeil, which occurred yesterday afternoon. MP Razi al-Hajj revealed to MTV that the past hours were extremely tense and that what happened yesterday presented a difficult choice; they remain committed to the state and cannot continue living under the law of the jungle in a country where citizens are attacked. He added, "There is still no news regarding Pascal Sleiman's kidnapping, and we have great confidence in the security forces, awaiting quick revelations about his fate." Al-Hajj emphasized, "We can no longer tolerate the absence of law and responsibility, and we strive to build the desired state."
MP Ziad Hawat wrote on the platform "X": "Jbeil responds to the call and expresses its sadness, denunciation, and condemnation of the kidnapping of Lebanese Forces coordinator Pascal Sleiman. We all have one voice, and Jbeil, with all its components and colors, calls for speeding up the disclosure of circumstances and returning Sleiman to his family and loved ones."
In a related context, MP Hadi Abou al-Hassan posted on "X": "At a time when Lebanon faces significant dangers due to ongoing Israeli assaults and threats of war expansion, the kidnapping of Pascal Sleiman, which is condemned and denounced, comes at a suspicious and dangerous timing. There is great trust in the Lebanese army and security forces to uncover the details of the operation and free him from his captors."
MP Ashraf Rifi issued a statement yesterday, stating, "Lebanon is going through unprecedented and exceptional conditions, marked by the obstruction of institutions, the prevention of presidential elections, and the complete absence of executive authority with a caretaker government that is unable to fulfill its role properly. At the same time, Lebanon is threatened with the possibility of an Israeli war that could erupt at any moment, with Hezbollah monopolizing the decision of peace and war, and the complete absence of Lebanese authority." He added, "In this bitter, troubling, and dangerous reality, the kidnapping of the Lebanese Forces coordinator in Jbeil, Pascal Sleiman, under suspicious circumstances places Lebanon before security risks that threaten its stability or what remains of it. Therefore, we announce our condemnation of this suspicious kidnapping and express solidarity with his family, friends, and comrades, and we demand that the security forces act swiftly to reveal the perpetrators of this heinous crime and safely return him to his family and relatives, preventing any ambiguity or dragging Lebanon into a state of chaos with unknown consequences."
Rifi concluded, "We also demand strong action against those who committed the crime, placing Lebanon at the brink of explosion at a time when we most need calm and efforts to revive institutional work and rise from the ruins of obstruction and security chaos, while facing the repercussions of ongoing regional conflicts and transformations."
The Progressive Socialist Party also issued a statement through its media commission, stating: "The Progressive Socialist Party condemns the kidnapping of Lebanese Forces coordinator in Jbeil Pascal Sleiman, and calls on the security forces to make every effort to uncover the circumstances and backgrounds of this incident, ensure his safe return, and hold accountable those involved, thereby upholding the law to prevent further tension and unrest."
