Sami Gemayel, the head of the Lebanese Phalange Party, warned that Hezbollah's adventure in southern Lebanon and the opening of what is called the "Distraction Front" or "Support Front" could cost Lebanon dearly. In a statement via Al Arabiya, Gemayel expressed, "We have been warning since October 8 that this adventure could bring calamities to Lebanon and the entire border," lamenting that the party continues to gamble and play with new balances, hoping that the war will not escalate. He noted that every day the party claims it does not want escalation, as if it has confidence that the Israelis do not want it either; however, it is playing with fire and betting on something that could backfire on them and all Lebanese.
Regarding the statement from the Israeli Chief of Staff about how close we are to the square of war, Gemayel clarified: "We have been saying since the first day that both parties, Israel and Hezbollah, do not want escalation in southern Lebanon, but when both sides attempt to engage in this gamble in a manner that plays with fire, any miscalculation could lead to an open war. This is what we warn against; playing with fire could burn Lebanon entirely."
Gemayel pointed out that "Israel knows what it wants, and Hezbollah does too." He considered that "the party wants to imply to Arab states that it is the only one who stood by Gaza and does not want to take on more and be burdened with an open war that would destroy its capabilities and the power of Iran, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, or Syria."
He continued: "The best scenario for Iran is for this war to end as it is and for the Iranian system to remain spread in the region, with Iran continuing to dominate Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen as it currently does."
Regarding the visit of the Iranian minister in charge of foreign affairs, Gemayel stated: "The Iranian minister wanted to first reaffirm that Lebanon is part of the Iranian axis, hence announcing positions from Beirut to confirm it is one of the capitals under Iran's influence, which Lebanese people reject. We warn that Lebanon is a hostage in the hands of Hezbollah, and we pay the price for Iran's control over Lebanon through Hezbollah, which will lead Lebanon into war, bearing the cost on Iran's behalf." He added, "If Iran wants war and to play a role in the region, let it use its own people, not the Lebanese, whether they are civilians or affiliated with the party; they are Lebanese. Therefore, let Iran pay the price, not Lebanon."
In response to a question about the options to deal with the tense situation, Gemayel urged the Arab world and the international community to understand that "Lebanon is held hostage," affirming that we are in a state of peaceful political resistance against Hezbollah and Iran's control over our country. He stated that the Lebanese cannot change anything in the current course in southern Lebanon, and thus we need Arab brothers and the international community to protect Lebanon from this disaster and help us liberate ourselves from Iranian tutelage through Hezbollah.
