Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea addressed Israel’s release of Lebanese captive activists who were on the Freedom Fleet, saying “This is how Israel is confronted,” and not through a show of strength.
“In any confrontation between Israel and Hizbullah, the international community will stand by Israel, but if the confrontation was between Israel and the Lebanese State, we’d have at least 50% chance of gaining the international community’s support,” Geagea said.
Geagea noted that “Hizbullah’s arms are of no use as long as the international community stands by Israel,” warning that “we have started to head toward the storm due to the behavior taking place on the Lebanese territory.”
“Lebanon is actually in the eye of the storm and the intensive visits of foreign and Arab diplomats to Beirut prove that,” Geagea added during an interview on Future News TV.
“The build-up of Hizbullah’s military capabilities does not strengthen Lebanon and I don’t think that Hizbullah would use its weapons in the Lebanese interior, but it is very important that these arms be placed under the command of the State.”
Answering a question on his recent criticism of President Michel Suleiman, Geagea said: “The president’s reformist approach is immaculate and he takes the major credit, together with (Interior) Minister (Ziad) Baroud, for the occurrence of the municipal elections.”
“I disagree with the president over one point: Hizbullah’s arms, and at least half of the Lebanese share me this viewpoint,” Geagea added.
“The March 14 Alliance, at the political and popular levels, is not with the ‘people-army-resistance’ theory, and the national dialogue table convened because there is an essential dispute over this topic; and President Suleiman must take that into consideration.”
Geagea called on Suleiman “to truly remain a president for all the Lebanese, especially regarding this issue.”
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