Kesrouan MP Neemat Frem, Lebanese presidential candidate. (Credit: NNA)
Independent MP Neemat Frem, who announced his candidacy on Thursday and presented himself as a "natural candidate for the presidency" of Lebanon, met Friday in Meerab with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who is also a contender for the presidency. The two discussed the upcoming presidential election, with a parliamentary session scheduled for Jan. 9.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in Oct. 2022, amid political divisions, particularly over the contentious issue of Hezbollah's arsenal and defense strategy.
Commenting on the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the Kesrouan MP observed that "the new Middle East is witnessing a historic dawn" and expressed hope that "Lebanon will not squander this opportunity." He added, "It is impossible for us to remain stagnant while the region changes."
Reiterating his platform, Frem emphasized his aim to "rebuild the state and its institutions, implement the cease-fire agreement including the cessation of military actions, and honor Lebanon's international commitments, particularly U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701."
Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to end a previous war between Israel and Hezbollah, mandates that the Shiite group cannot maintain weapons or military infrastructure south of the Litani River, near the Israeli border. The cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended over a year of hostilities and two months of open war, took effect on Nov. 27.
"The cease-fire agreement also includes the decision on war and peace," Frem said, emphasizing the need for "weapons to be exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese state." He added, "Lebanon must come first. We must not drag it into an axis that will destroy it."
Frem also warned against any potential violation of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. "A breach of this agreement would be dangerous, as it would expose all of Lebanon—not just Hezbollah—to a war with Israel," he cautioned. He acknowledged, however, that implementing the cease-fire has been slower than anticipated.
"It is the responsibility of the president, as head of the Higher Defense Council, to provide the army with the political cover necessary to carry out its missions," Frem said. He pointed out that one of the president's duties is to develop a national security plan, which has been neglected since 1950. "This plan must go beyond defense to include infrastructure, international relations, the economy, and international agreements," he concluded.
Several candidates' names are already circulating in political circles, including Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun. Samir Geagea has also not ruled out his own candidacy.
