Geagea tells Hezbollah's Qassem only state 'can act as it sees fit'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 4 hours
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Friday that only the Lebanese state "can act as it sees fit" after Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said that the militant group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.
"Sheikh Naim, you cannot act as you see fit. Only the Lebanese government can do that because it represents the majority of the Lebanese people," Geagea said, adding that it is "absolutely unacceptable" for anyone to allow themselves to act as they like.
"Lebanon is a country and a state," Geagea said. "This is absolutely unacceptable, otherwise Lebanon will turn into a chaotic place with no rules or laws."
Qassem had said that the militant group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between its main backer Iran and Israel.
In a statement, Qassem said Hezbollah was "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression".
This comes after the U.S. special envoy for Syria warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war.
Geagea urged Qassem to propose his ideas through Hezbollah's ministers in the government. "Only there, such matters can be discussed," he said.
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