Samy Gemayel says he is in favor of direct negotiations with Israel

BEIRUT — Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel said he was in favor of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on Saturday in an interview with LBCI, after President Joseph Aoun on Monday had called negotiations with Israel "necessary" during the Peace Summit in Sharm al-Sheikh.

"I am in favor of anything that protects Lebanon and for Lebanon to negotiate with Syria and Israel to ensure its stability, protection, and prosperity, which can only be guaranteed by a truce or peace with its neighbors," Gemayel, who is also an MP for Metn, said during LBCI's Jadal segment. Still, he noted, "this decision belongs to the Lebanese state," adding that he considers it "preferable that it be taken unanimously."

However, "the Lebanese should understand that it is in their interest," he also said.

"Lebanon's interest is to live in stability and to end any war or aggression against it," Gemayel said. "If this requires direct negotiations with Israel to reach a security agreement, reactivate the truce, or even reach a peace agreement, these are just details."

Israel has killed more than 320 people in Lebanon since agreeing to a truce with Hezbollah in November of last year. The cease-fire had brought an end to two months of open-war during which Israel heavily bombed most of southern and eastern Lebanon. Israel continues to attack these areas with daily drone strikes and, occasionally heavy air raids. In the last week, Israel has targeted specifically equipment used for construction.

'Children of the South' should no longer 'live in fear'

"What matters is that Israeli strikes on Lebanon and attacks from Lebanese territory against Israel stop, so there is stability at the border with Israel," Gemayel continued. "It is also important that the children of the South no longer have to live in fear of seeing their homes destroyed and their children killed, as has been the case over the past 40 years."

Gemayel, whose party is a staunch opponent to Hezbollah, argued that it is unfair for the latter to be allowed to negotiate with Israel over the recovery of its detainees while the Lebanese state cannot negotiate with Israel on its own agenda.

However, Gemayel also acknowledged that the transition out from a state of war requires delineating borders, withdrawal of occupying forces, the return of prisoners and an end to violations of Lebanese airspace and sovereignty. Stability also requires addressing the rights of Palestinians, he also said. "Once all these issues are resolved, we will decide whether we want to stop there or go further," he noted.

Kataeb has 'rejected' weapons outside state control 'for 30 years"

The Kataeb leader also insisted his party has supported a state monopoly on arms since the 90s. "We have rejected these weapons for 30 years and consider them an infringement on the state's sovereignty," he said. "The positions of the president and the government are in the country's interest and are similar to the demands of other countries that want Lebanon to prosper and whose positions align with ours."

The government has decided to assert a monopoly on arms, and while Hezbollah has cooperated with the Lebanese Army in the disarmament of its bases and weapons caches south of the Litani River, the party continues to oppose the state's campaign, demanding that Israel first be made to halt its violations of the cease-fire and withdraw from Lebanese territory.

Waddah Sadek also in favor of direct negotiations with Israel

Reformist MP Waddah Sadek echoed Gemayel's comments, saying it would be "preferable for Lebanon to start direct negotiations with Israel rather than concede a victory to it as happened with the maritime border demarcation file." However, "these negotiations must be subject to conditions," he added, finding it natural that part of the population might feel betrayed on this issue.

The MP called on the Lebanese authorities, particularly Parliament, to seriously consider the issue of negotiations, saying, "Communication must exist between the three presidents," meaning the president, the prime minister, and the speaker of Parliament.

"If direct negotiations make it possible to recover territories and prisoners, or at least return to the truce agreement, will we choose to remain as we are?" Sadek asked.