Gemayel broaches developments with UN's Plasschaert
The meeting was attended by Kataeb Politburo member, Dr. Zeina Hobeika, and head of Kataeb party's foreign relations department Marwan Abdallah.
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Ya Libnan
2 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
MP Bou Assi: Disarming Hezbollah is an absolute necessity, its arms pose an existential threat to Lebanon
MP Pierre Bou Assi stressed that 'disarming Hezbollah has become an absolute necessity, even by force,' warning that 'its continued presence poses an existential threat to Lebanon.' He noted that 'the absence of the state is what threatens stability and could lead to a civil war. If it assumes its responsibilities, it will be able to avoid slipping into clashes.' He believed that Hezbollah would lay down its weapons, 'because this is not an option, but an inevitable matter.' He accused the party of 'holding on to its weapons not to defend Lebanon, but rather to achieve political interests linked to Iran and to perpetuate a policy of domestic intimidation and blackmail.' He asked, 'Who gave the party the right to assess the Lebanese Army's ability to protect the borders? Hezbollah is a political party, and its role should be limited to the parliament and monitoring the government's work. However, it goes beyond that and participates in actions that have destroyed Lebanon and plunged us into wars. It has failed in this role, and no one can extricate us from what we have plunged into except the Lebanese state.' He said that 'the issue is not easy, but if there is determination, Hezbollah will not be able to stand in the way of the army. Therefore, the challenge for the political class is to maintain its decision.'
Ya Libnan
3 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
TIME FOR THE WISE TO RISE IN LEBANON
'We Would Rather Die': Hezbollah's Defiance Is Lebanon's Death Sentence By: Ali Hussein , a Lebanese political analyst Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc leader, MP Mohammad Raad, has made a shocking declaration in response to the Lebanese cabinet's decision to assign the Lebanese Army and its security forces as the sole legitimate bearers of arms: ' We would rather die than hand over our arms.' Coming from the supposed head of Hezbollah's political wing, such words are nothing short of reckless. This is not the language of a statesman—it is the rhetoric of defiance against the very idea of a unified, sovereign Lebanon. Let us be clear: the weapons Raad is defending have brought Lebanon nothing but tragedy. In 2006, Hezbollah's miscalculations plunged the country into a devastating war with Israel, leading to the destruction of entire neighborhoods, the loss of innocent lives, and the occupation of the northern part of Ghajar. In 2023, Hezbollah repeated its recklessness by launching a war against Israel—reportedly to defend its Iran-backed ally Hamas. That war did not help Hamas in any meaningful way. Instead, it led to the occupation by Israel of five strategic hills in southern Lebanon, weakening Lebanon's defensive position and increasing the threat to its southern villages. Hezbollah's destructive choices have not been limited to confrontations with Israel. Its full military and logistical backing for Bashar al-Assad in Syria contributed to one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time, pushing millions of Syrian refugees into Lebanon. This influx has placed unbearable pressure on Lebanon's infrastructure, economy, and social fabric. The devastation reached its most horrifying form on August 4, 2020, with the Beirut blast. Thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate—illegally stored at the port for years—detonated, killing more than 220 people, injuring thousands, and destroying large swathes of the capital. Investigations have revealed that these explosives were reportedly kept for the Syrian regime to be used in barrel bombs against civilians—a shocking example of how Hezbollah's actions directly endangered Lebanese lives. And let us not forget May 2008, when Hezbollah turned its guns inward, occupying West Beirut and attacking fellow Lebanese citizens. That moment proved beyond doubt that its arms are not solely for 'resistance' against Israel—they are also a tool for internal intimidation and domination. A Lebanese Army soldier is shown saluting the flag . The Army's loyalty is only to Lebanon and its defense Wise voices in Lebanon—Shiite, Sunni, Christian, Druze alike—must rise above this dangerous bravado. The future of Lebanon cannot be held hostage to weapons that serve no national interest, inflame regional tensions, and perpetuate cycles of destruction. It is time to choose: loyalty to Lebanon, or loyalty to arms that have only deepened its wounds. The country's survival depends on ending the culture of militias and affirming the exclusive authority of the Lebanese Army to defend its people and its borders. Anything less is a slow suicide. If you want, I can also give you a more aggressive headline that makes Raad's statement the center of outrage, like:
L'Orient-Le Jour
14 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Interfaith meeting in Aley brings together district's diverse religious leaders
BEIRUT — A significant multi-confessional meeting was held in Aley district's Bater village on Friday at the invitation of sheikh Kamel Daher of the Zreigate Arab tribe, in an occasion meant to mark the strength of the relationships between the region's diverse residents. Attendees included Mount Lebanon Governor Mohammed Mekkaoui, Druze Sheikh Aql Sami Abi al-Mona; Druze leaders Teymour Joumblatt and Talal Arslan; as well as representatives from the Lebanese Forces; representative Youssef Deaibes from the Interior Ministry; a representative of the mufti of the Republic, Abdellatif Deriane; as well as mayors from various Aley municipalities; and local, security and religious figures. Daher emphasized unity between the region's residents, particularly among members of the Arab tribes, Druze, Sunnis and Christians. "We were and will remain one and the same family, whatever the difficulties," he said during the meeting. "And our homes will remain open to all Lebanese." In light of last month's deadly clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters, and then later Syrian state forces, in southern Syria, Daher praised the "wisdom of political and religious dignitaries, especially Druze leader Walid Joumblatt, Dar al-Fatwa [the highest Sunni authority], and Druze Sheikh Aql, in facing the painful events in Sweida, Syria." Sunni and Druze authorities in Lebanon have ardently emphasized cooperation and unity, nervous that the sectarian violence — in which more than 1,300 people were killed — might spill over into Lebanon. But on the ground, the community's positions with regards to the brutal fighting in Sweida are much more complicated. Within the Lebanese Druze community, the political rivalry between the two Druze leaders Walid Joumblatt and Talal Arslan — enemy cousins whose family names are steeped in history —h as worsened since the May 2018 parliamentary elections, after which Emir Arslan, allied with the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah, received a ministerial portfolio, much to the dismay of the PSP leader, who hoped to appoint all three Druze ministers in the government himself. These tensions were compounded in 2021 by those between the Arab tribes, known for their closeness to former Sunni leader Saad Hariri, and Hezbollah.
