Kataeb Urges Sparing Lebanon Region Conflicts, Says Facing Israel a 'Collective Arab Responsibility'

The Kataeb Party on Monday called for ending all acts that “entangle Lebanon” in battles that “exceed its capacity,” describing it as “the weakest link” in the strife-torn region.

In a statement issued after the weekly meeting of its political bureau, the party expressed “grave concern over the course of events in which Lebanon has been implicated due to the ongoing war in Syria and its local repercussions.”

Kataeb's remarks come in the wake of Israel's assassination of six Hizbullah fighters, including prominent militants, and an Iranian general in a Jan. 18 air raid in Syria's Quneitra.

Hizbullah retaliated through killing two Israeli troops and wounding seven in a missile attack on the occupied Shebaa Farms, after which group leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah announced that his party no longer recognizes any "rules of engagement" in the conflict with Israel.

"National responsibility requires halting all acts that might entangle Lebanon in foreign battles and crises that exceed its capacity, threaten its security and stability, and subject it to existential dangers," Kataeb added.

It underlined that "addressing and resolving the major Arab crises that are moving from one country to another, as well as confronting Israel's occupation of some Arab territories, especially in Palestine, is a collective Arab responsibility.”

The party also condemned as a “cowardly act” the bombing that targeted a Lebanese bus in Damascus and left several pilgrims dead and wounded.

“The same terrorism is striking in Arsal's outskirts, Sinai's el-Arish, Paris, as well as through the execution of the Japanese journalist in cold blood,” Kataeb noted.

Separately, the party hoped the ongoing separate talks between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement and between the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement will lead to results regarding the “crucial” issues of “immunizing national sovereignty” and “electing a president without any delay.”

Y.R.

M.T.