MP Samy Gemayel during his press conference, surrounded by several of his colleagues, on Nov. 10, 2025. (Credit: Ali Fawaz/Lebanese Parliament)
Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel announced Monday that his party will soon submit a constitutional amendment on Lebanon's "neutrality" in the regional arena — a concept regularly put forward by parties and leaders, especially those opposed to Hezbollah, as a response to "axis" politics.
"After decades of discussions on this topic, and the desire of a large part of the Lebanese people to live in safety and peace in Lebanon, there has been a longstanding request to keep Lebanon neutral with regard to regional conflicts ... That is why, in light of evolving circumstances, we are announcing the submission of a proposal for a constitutional amendment aiming to include the mention of 'neutrality' in the preamble of the Lebanese Constitution," he said during a press conference in Parliament.
Gemayel then spelled out the wording of the amendment he intends to put to Parliament: "Lebanon is a neutral state that adheres to the principle of neutrality in regional conflicts and enjoys the legitimate right to self-defense."
He added: "Including this phrase in the Constitution’s preamble makes adherence to the principle of neutrality mandatory without relinquishing the defense of our country."
This concept returned to the forefront, especially after Hezbollah opened its "support front" to Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, from southern Lebanon, marking the start of 13 months of war with Israel, including two months of expanded Israeli war in Lebanon. This war has claimed more than 4,000 lives in the country.
Gemayel also called on President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to join the initiative. "We hope that all our fellow MPs will support this proposal," he added, noting that around 10 MPs have already backed the project.
The Kataeb leader was joined at the press conference by two other party MPs, Nadim Gemayel and Salim Sayegh, as well as Camille Chamoun, Adib Abdel Massih and Achraf Rifi, among others.
The proposal to make "neutrality" Lebanon's official diplomatic stance in regional conflicts is an idea long championed by various political forces on the Lebanese scene. It is also one of the tenets of Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, who has previously launched initiatives to prod Lebanon's officials to adopt the principle. In 2021, he made a long case for "active and positive neutrality" during a historic rally in Bkerki supporting his stance.
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