Geagea Warns of 'More Resignations' as Gemayel Says Lebanon is a 'Hostage State'

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday saluted Ashraf Rifi over his resignation from his justice minster post, noting that “someone had to take a stance” in light of the latest row with Saudi Arabia and the developments in Michel Samaha's case.

“I salute justice minister Ashraf Rifi on his stance, seeing as without any political calculations, someone had to take a stance, especially after the deterioration in the relation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the issue of Michel Samaha's trial,” Geagea told MTV in a phone interview.

“Some issues oblige the person to take a stance,” he added, calling on the government to “take this resignation into consideration” and stressing that “it is prohibited for anyone to undermine Lebanon's ties with the friendly countries.”

In response to a question, Geagea noted that a resignation of the entire government “will not achieve anything.”

“There is a large number of March 14 ministers in the cabinet and they must voice their viewpoints on Samaha's trial and the relation with Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Asked why he has allegedly focused his criticism on Hizbullah without referring to Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil in the current row with Saudi Arabia, Geagea warned against getting entangled in “petty details.”

“Supposing that Minister Jebran Bassil has committed a mistake, the government should have summoned him and asked for an explanation, but it didn't do so, and today it must shoulder its responsibilities,” the LF leader added.

Asked about the presidential vote and his nomination of FPM founder MP Michel Aoun, Geagea reminded that “entire March 8 has nominated General Michel Aoun” and “now they have the voices of the LF bloc.”

“So let the March 8 camp continue what it had started,” he added.

He later warned in remarks to Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath television that “if the government doesn't make serious steps in the relation with Saudi Arabia, we will witness more resignations.”

Meanwhile, Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel warned that “Lebanon has fallen a hostage in Hizbullah's hand” as a result of the party's controversial arsenal of weapons.

“Lebanon must be dealt with as a hostage state,” Gemayel told the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television.

“The March 14 forces will make a warning step today and if the government does not respond, we will take other stances,” he added.

He noted that “Hizbullah's remarks and insults against the kingdom can only lead to the reaction we have witnessed from Saudi Arabia.”

“We have an influential presence in the government along with al-Mustaqbal movement, and we must shoulder our responsibilities,” Gemayel added.

Rifi, a fierce opponent of Hizbullah, said earlier on Sunday he was resigning over the group's alleged "domination" of the government.

The minister's decision came two days after Saudi Arabia announced it was suspending $3 billion in aid to Lebanon's army in protest over "hostile" diplomatic positions it said were inspired by Hizbullah.

Rifi's resignation statement also cited alleged Hizbullah interference in the case of Lebanon's former information minister Michel Samaha, who is facing charges of having planned "terrorist" acts in collaboration with the Syrian regime.

Rifi accused Hizbullah of blocking his efforts to transfer the case against Samaha, a former close confidante of Damascus, to Lebanon's highest court, the Judicial Council. Samaha is currently free on bail as he faces retrial on charges of plotting attacks with Syrian security services chief Ali Mamluk.

Y.R.