Latest news with #SamyGemayel
MTV Lebanon
4 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Gemayel broaches developments with UN's Plasschaert
Lebanese Kataeb Party leader, MP Samy Gemayel, met with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, with whom he discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the region. The meeting was attended by Kataeb Politburo member, Dr. Zeina Hobeika, and head of Kataeb party's foreign relations department Marwan Abdallah.
LBCI
7 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Samy Gemayel calls for justice and state sovereignty on Beirut Port explosion anniversary
The Kataeb Party commemorated the fifth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion by honoring its late Secretary-General Nazar Najarian and all those who were killed in the blast. Kataeb leader MP Samy Gemayel said the pain remains: 'We are still mourning our beloved brothers and comrades, and we are entrusted with carrying forward the path of justice.' He stressed that such a devastating explosion could not have occurred under a fully functioning state. 'Our goal is for this tragedy—and the latest war—to mark the end of Lebanese sorrow,' he said. Gemayel called on President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to recognize the gravity of the current moment: 'People expect them to lead Lebanon out of lawlessness, impunity, and militia rule, and toward a state governed by the rule of law, where the judiciary performs its duty and no weapons exist outside state authority.' Addressing the issue of Hezbollah's arsenal, Gemayel said, 'Those rejecting the handover of weapons today are doing so under the pretext of protection, but the real protection lies in building the state.' He described Tuesday's upcoming cabinet session as 'historic,' urging the government to make a decisive move toward restricting weapons to the state alone—not to appease external actors, but as a necessary step to building a real state.
LBCI
23-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Kataeb leader calls for abolishing special tribunal, referring ministers to regular judiciary
Kataeb Party leader MP Samy Gemayel called for the abolition of the Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers, urging instead that such cases be referred to the regular judiciary rather than special tribunals. His remarks came during a parliamentary session as MPs voted on a proposal to refer former Telecommunications Ministers Boutros Harb, Nicolas Sehnaoui, and Jamal Jarrah to an investigative committee.
L'Orient-Le Jour
14-07-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Samy Gemayel files complaint against Sheikh Faisal Shukur
BEIRUT — MP Samy Gemayel, leader of the Kataeb Party filed a legal complaint Monday against a Shiite cleric from the Bekaa Valley with close ties to Hezbollah, Faisal Shukur, who, about a week earlier, had delivered a speech threatening any official who called for the disarmament of the group. The Shukur's statement sparked controversy over the weekend after a video of the speech circulated online. The sheikh made the comments on July 6 during a ceremony marking the 10th day of Ashura. "To those inside the country who keep repeating the words 'disarmament,' we have two words for you: we will tear out your souls. Because everything can be the subject of joking, discussion or dialogue — except weapons," Shukur said. Gemayel, a vocal critic of Hezbollah, filed the complaint through his lawyer, Bachir Mourad, with the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassations. The complaint also targets any individuals identified by the investigation as perpetrators, accomplices, instigators or participants. According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), the complaint denounces "death threats, incitement to violence and murder, stoking sectarian tensions, as well as endangering the security, sovereignty, unity or borders of the state." A copy of the video was submitted as evidence, along with a detailed list of relevant articles from the Penal Code, including Articles 574, 575, 317, 308, 329, 217 and 218, which relate to threats, incitement to violence and the provocation of sectarian tensions. Comments 'go beyond the scope of freedom of expression' According to the complaint, the remarks made by Shukur "go beyond the scope of freedom of expression." The excerpt from Shukur's speech drew widespread reactions online on Saturday. Journalist Rami Naim, who is close to the Lebanese Forces (LF), called for Shukur's arrest. "Hezbollah is a danger to Lebanon and its leaders have lost their minds after their defeat, act now before it's too late," he wrote on X. Mohammad Barakat, editor-in-chief of the news site Asas Media and also a known critic of Hezbollah, said Shukur's statement should be treated by the judiciary as "a threat to eliminate the entire Lebanese people, including the presidency and the government." By contrast, dozens of internet users supportive of Hezbollah praised the position taken by the Bekaa cleric. The controversy comes amid mounting pressure — both domestic and international — on Lebanese authorities to dismantle Hezbollah's weapons arsenal, an issue that continues to polarize the country's political landscape. Hezbollah has maintained that it will not give up its arms as long as Israeli forces continue their airstrikes, near-daily shelling, and occupation in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, the United States is keeping steady political pressure on the Lebanese government, urging it to accelerate disarmament efforts led by the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) south of the Litani River. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of the state's exclusive control over weapons, appears to be pursuing dialogue with Hezbollah — apparently in an effort to avoid a wider security fallout.
MTV Lebanon
08-07-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Kataeb slams partial disarmament proposals, presses government for clear timeline
The Kataeb's Political Bureau, chaired by party leader Samy Gemayel, convened its weekly meeting to assess the latest local developments. Following the session, the party issued the following statement: The Political Bureau reaffirms its support for every firm and swift action taken by the Lebanese state in line with the president's inaugural speech, the ministerial statement, the Taif Agreement, and the international agreements signed and ratified by Lebanon, particularly those related to the removal of illegal weapons. This position is rooted in the duty to uphold the Constitution, build a state governed by law and institutions, and guarantee equality among all Lebanese. The Kataeb Party calls on the international community to assist Lebanon in countering regional interference that continues to obstruct efforts to restore the state's sovereign decision-making authority. The Political Bureau urges the government to convene without delay, adopt a clear and unequivocal position, and set a defined timeline for disarmament, ensuring that all weapons are placed exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese Armed Forces and legitimate security institutions, to be dealt with in accordance with Lebanon's highest national interest. The Bureau stresses that any attempt to fragment the solution or categorize weapons as heavy, medium, or light is merely a gateway to a deeper crisis. If heavy weapons threaten Lebanon's political and regional security, then light arms pose an even greater threat to the state-building process. The recent armed displays on the streets of the capital are a stark reminder of the severity of this threat. The Kataeb Party demands a Lebanon that is completely free of any Lebanese or Palestinian weapons—regardless of the group or faction—in every part of the country. The persistence of the current reality continues to weaken the state, render it ineffective, and strip it of its sovereign core. The party also views the escalatory rhetoric of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, his outright rejection of disarmament, and his insistence on confronting Israel independently of the state, as a desperate attempt to revive a bygone era that will not return. Accordingly, the Political Bureau holds Hezbollah directly responsible for creating the kind of hollow pretexts Israel may use to justify its ongoing threats and aggressions.
