The leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, issued a statement regarding the recent framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, led by President Joseph Aoun in coordination with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Geagea described this as the most significant political move by the Lebanese state in half a century, aimed at resolving the country's dire predicament caused by repeated conflicts in southern Lebanon.
Geagea emphasized that the agreement not only aims to remove Israeli presence from Lebanon, allowing southern residents to return home but also seeks to permanently close the 'bleeding south,' a term he uses to describe the ongoing conflict affecting all Lebanese, particularly southerners. This conflict has disrupted national stability, political functionality, and led to widespread economic and financial collapses.
He further argued that contrary to claims by various resistance groups, these conflicts have not advanced the Palestinian cause, while repeatedly decimating Lebanon. The framework agreement, once implemented, promises not only to rid Lebanon of Israeli forces and close the southern front but also aims to tackle a longstanding national issue: the presence of non-state military groups like Hezbollah, which act independently in matters of war and peace, often serving foreign interests rather than Lebanon's.
Geagea stated that this agreement would curtail Iran's unfettered influence over Lebanese decision-making, aligning Lebanese-Iranian relations back to a normal state-to-state diplomatic relationship beneficial to both nations.
He also criticized those opposing the agreement by calling it a source of strife, noting that ignoring past violations of agreements has led to the current situation. He reminded skeptics that the legitimate Lebanese government, comprising the President, the government, and Parliament, sanctioned this agreement, with President Aoun elected legally and receiving considerable support in Parliament.
Finally, Geagea urged all Lebanese to seize this unprecedented opportunity to overcome the crises of the past fifty years and support the legitimate authorities in expediting the recovery process, rather than waste time on outdated and ineffective arguments.