Geagea: Hezbollah an Iranian faction, Iran playing its last card
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Friday in an interview with Al-Arabiya's Al-Hadath channel that "Hezbollah is an Iranian faction present in Lebanon."
He added: "Iran has directly transferred the battle to Lebanon, and I believe that the situation in the Gulf and in Iran is not comfortable. Therefore, it wanted to play its last card in Lebanon, but unfortunately, at the expense of the interests of all Lebanese.”
In response to a question, he pointed out that “what is emerging from all the developments, steps, statements, and political positions confirms, first and foremost, a strong international determination, secondly, a strong Arab determination, and thirdly, an Israeli determination to end this phenomenon called Hezbollah."
He emphasized that “the Lebanese people have had enough of Hezbollah, and after forty years of living under its veiled tutelage, this is no longer acceptable."
In response to a question, he said: "The government has made a crucial decision, the first of its kind, but it remains a theoretical decision on paper and needs time to be implemented. This government must be given a chance to fulfill its duties."
"Lebanon has been slow to organize itself and for the state to assume its role in decisions regarding war and peace, which has led to direct negotiations with Israel being unacceptable today," Geagea added.
Regarding President Joseph Aoun's initiative for negotiations with Israel, Geagea said it believes it has "no hope at present, given that the battlefield is the ultimate arbiter, and in times of war, the balance of power dictates the terms."
He added: "If the situation on the ground continues to develop, President Aoun's initiative will become increasingly unacceptable, because the new balance of power will impose its own rhythm. We will face problems during the war and perhaps after it as well, but we must wait and see how it ends, as its conclusion will determine many things."
"If this ends and the state fails to monopolize Hezbollah's weapons, this will be completely unacceptable," Geagea warned.
He continued: "This time, the state must succeed in monopolizing weapons, because the government has taken bold and clear decisions. However, the Lebanese administration as a whole is still not fully prepared to implement these decisions and needs a major overhaul."
In response to a question about Hezbollah's media promoting the idea of a split within the Lebanese Army, he said: "I don't believe in this theory. At best or worst, some members here or an officer there might leave the army, but not to the extent that it exceeds this."
"According to my information, between 85 and 90 percent of the Lebanese Army is united behind its leadership and around the state, the government, and its decisions," Geagea noted.
Concerning the war in Lebanon, he said: "It may take some time, but this time it will end with the dismantling of Hezbollah's military and security wings, because the situation before the war will not be the same after it."
Source: Naharnet
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