Hamadeh denounces his interview broadcast on Israeli channel without his knowledge

Lebanese MP Marwan Hamadeh responded Friday to the airing of his interview by the Israeli channel i24 News, clarifying that the conversation was recorded in Paris, at the BFMTV headquarters.

"No normalization, no escalation. I recorded my interview in Paris, at the BFMTV France headquarters, with French journalist Christian Malard, and I was surprised that another channel broadcast it. I denounced this and protested. That's it," Hamadeh said.

In the interview, which also appeared on i24 News's YouTube channel, the Druze MP discussed the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and the possible future disarmament of the Palestinian movement.

The airing of the interview sparked reactions on social media. "Are we finally seeing the first cracks in the Lebanese boycott of Israel?" a user on platform X asked.

"Druze MP Marwan Hamadeh speaks on the Israeli channel i24 in French, from their studio, probably in Paris. Still, it's a step in the right direction."

Another called the interview "utter nonsense" and mentioned the Lebanese police.

Due to the official state of war between Lebanon and Israel, any interaction with Israeli entities is strictly prohibited under Lebanese law and is considered a crime punishable by severe penalties, sometimes up to 25 years in prison.