Geagea’s annual speech: What messages, who are the recipients?

This time, he is at the heart of power. For the first time in years, Lebanese Forces Leader Samir Geagea spoke after the annual Mass in memory of the “martyrs of the Lebanese resistance,” not as an opposition figure, but as a leader firmly convinced of his new position within the loyalist camp. This marks a first in many years. However, in the context of acute polarization around Hezbollah, Geagea did not simply express his support for the current government and his determination to push forward with the disarmament of Hezbollah. More importantly, he was keen to rule out any risk of civil war, addressing the Shiite community by reminding them of their centuries-old history in Lebanon and urging them to “free themselves” from the grip of Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran.“As long as Lebanon exists, the Shiites will exist too. The Shiites...