Latest news with #SamyGemayel
L'Orient-Le Jour
14-07-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Samy Gemayel files complaint against Sheikh Faisal Shukur
BEIRUT — MP Samy Gemayel, leader of the Kataeb Party filed a legal complaint Monday against a Shiite cleric from the Bekaa Valley with close ties to Hezbollah, Faisal Shukur, who, about a week earlier, had delivered a speech threatening any official who called for the disarmament of the group. The Shukur's statement sparked controversy over the weekend after a video of the speech circulated online. The sheikh made the comments on July 6 during a ceremony marking the 10th day of Ashura. "To those inside the country who keep repeating the words 'disarmament,' we have two words for you: we will tear out your souls. Because everything can be the subject of joking, discussion or dialogue — except weapons," Shukur said. Gemayel, a vocal critic of Hezbollah, filed the complaint through his lawyer, Bachir Mourad, with the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassations. The complaint also targets any individuals identified by the investigation as perpetrators, accomplices, instigators or participants. According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), the complaint denounces "death threats, incitement to violence and murder, stoking sectarian tensions, as well as endangering the security, sovereignty, unity or borders of the state." A copy of the video was submitted as evidence, along with a detailed list of relevant articles from the Penal Code, including Articles 574, 575, 317, 308, 329, 217 and 218, which relate to threats, incitement to violence and the provocation of sectarian tensions. Comments 'go beyond the scope of freedom of expression' According to the complaint, the remarks made by Shukur "go beyond the scope of freedom of expression." The excerpt from Shukur's speech drew widespread reactions online on Saturday. Journalist Rami Naim, who is close to the Lebanese Forces (LF), called for Shukur's arrest. "Hezbollah is a danger to Lebanon and its leaders have lost their minds after their defeat, act now before it's too late," he wrote on X. Mohammad Barakat, editor-in-chief of the news site Asas Media and also a known critic of Hezbollah, said Shukur's statement should be treated by the judiciary as "a threat to eliminate the entire Lebanese people, including the presidency and the government." By contrast, dozens of internet users supportive of Hezbollah praised the position taken by the Bekaa cleric. The controversy comes amid mounting pressure — both domestic and international — on Lebanese authorities to dismantle Hezbollah's weapons arsenal, an issue that continues to polarize the country's political landscape. Hezbollah has maintained that it will not give up its arms as long as Israeli forces continue their airstrikes, near-daily shelling, and occupation in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, the United States is keeping steady political pressure on the Lebanese government, urging it to accelerate disarmament efforts led by the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) south of the Litani River. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of the state's exclusive control over weapons, appears to be pursuing dialogue with Hezbollah — apparently in an effort to avoid a wider security fallout.
MTV Lebanon
08-07-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Kataeb slams partial disarmament proposals, presses government for clear timeline
The Kataeb's Political Bureau, chaired by party leader Samy Gemayel, convened its weekly meeting to assess the latest local developments. Following the session, the party issued the following statement: The Political Bureau reaffirms its support for every firm and swift action taken by the Lebanese state in line with the president's inaugural speech, the ministerial statement, the Taif Agreement, and the international agreements signed and ratified by Lebanon, particularly those related to the removal of illegal weapons. This position is rooted in the duty to uphold the Constitution, build a state governed by law and institutions, and guarantee equality among all Lebanese. The Kataeb Party calls on the international community to assist Lebanon in countering regional interference that continues to obstruct efforts to restore the state's sovereign decision-making authority. The Political Bureau urges the government to convene without delay, adopt a clear and unequivocal position, and set a defined timeline for disarmament, ensuring that all weapons are placed exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese Armed Forces and legitimate security institutions, to be dealt with in accordance with Lebanon's highest national interest. The Bureau stresses that any attempt to fragment the solution or categorize weapons as heavy, medium, or light is merely a gateway to a deeper crisis. If heavy weapons threaten Lebanon's political and regional security, then light arms pose an even greater threat to the state-building process. The recent armed displays on the streets of the capital are a stark reminder of the severity of this threat. The Kataeb Party demands a Lebanon that is completely free of any Lebanese or Palestinian weapons—regardless of the group or faction—in every part of the country. The persistence of the current reality continues to weaken the state, render it ineffective, and strip it of its sovereign core. The party also views the escalatory rhetoric of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, his outright rejection of disarmament, and his insistence on confronting Israel independently of the state, as a desperate attempt to revive a bygone era that will not return. Accordingly, the Political Bureau holds Hezbollah directly responsible for creating the kind of hollow pretexts Israel may use to justify its ongoing threats and aggressions.
MTV Lebanon
02-07-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Gemayel, Abdel Massih call for clear disarmament timeline
Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel met with MP Adib Abdel Massih at the party's headquarters in Saifi to discuss recent political developments both at the local and regional levels, with a focus on critical national issues. Following the meeting, Abdel Massih described the Kataeb Party as 'a primary political ally,' emphasizing the importance of consulting with Gemayel amid pressing challenges, chief among them the disarmament of all armed groups and the anticipated visit of U.S. envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut. He stressed the 'need for the state, notably the government, to establish a clear timetable for disarmament,' expressing hope that 'the decision to disarm comes from Hezbollah before it is enforced by the Lebanese state.' Abdel Massih added that rallying behind state institutions would foster an environment conducive to leading Lebanon 'out of the dark tunnel toward stability and investment.' Highlighting regional contrasts, Abdel Massih outlined "the rapid government-led investments taking place in Syria," saying "Lebanon should be a land of investment, not wars; a land of future opportunities, not conflicts.' He called for an end to the ongoing divisions over the issue of non-state weapons, stressing that now is the time to resolve this matter and chart a new course for Lebanon. "We hope this begins with a promising summer and a thriving tourism season that restores hope and growth.' The lawmaker further pointed out that Hezbollah, as a member of the Lebanese government, is bound by the ministerial statement, which reflects the president's inaugural speech that calls for the state's exclusive control of arms. 'Therefore, Hezbollah has no alternative; it is the party that signed the ceasefire agreement with Israel and committed to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,' he said. He concluded by emphasizing the legal, constitutional, and national necessity of disarmament. 'Weapons do not protect Lebanon; they are the root cause of crises and collapse, and they risk triggering sanctions. The European Union has placed Lebanon on its gray list and may soon move it to the blacklist. It is time to draw a red line and focus on building Lebanon's institutions and prosperity; this is something that can only happen by confining weapons to the legitimate authority of the state.'
LBCI
31-05-2025
- Business
- LBCI
MP Gemayel: The Syrian regime is gone, so why are the refugees still in Lebanon?
Kataeb Party leader and MP Samy Gemayel warned that Lebanon is now one of the most overcrowded countries in the world, citing the presence of over 1.7 million Syrian refugees. Speaking at a panel during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest, Hungary, Gemayel highlighted the strain this has placed on Lebanon, a country with a land area of just 10,452 square kilometers and approximately 5 million citizens. He said the refugee population amounts to nearly a 50% increase in the country's original population. "To grasp the scale of the crisis, imagine if France received 32 million additional refugees," he said. Gemayel noted that this situation has persisted for 12 years and argued that the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime removed the justification for Syrian refugees to remain in Lebanon. "What is the excuse today? The regime is gone. Why are the refugees still in Lebanon?" he asked. He called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to reassess its policies regarding the Syrian crisis, emphasizing that the top priority should be securing the refugees' return to their homeland. Gemayel added that the issue does not concern Lebanon alone but also affects Jordan, Turkey, and several European countries.
LBCI
15-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Aoun, Gemayel discuss elections as Spain invites president to UN Development Conference
Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel met with President Joseph Aoun to discuss the country's general situation and the ongoing process of municipal and mukhtar elections. In a separate meeting, President Aoun received a formal letter from Spain's Ambassador to Lebanon, Jesús Santos Aguado, conveying an invitation from King Felipe VI. The invitation is for Lebanon to participate in the fourth United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development, scheduled in Seville from June 30 to July 3.
