Geagea urges govt. to reverse decision to pay compensations to southerners

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday called on the government to reverse its decision to pay LBP 93 billion in compensations to the southerners affected by Israel’s attacks.

“We are living the suffering of the south’s residents every day and we are daily living the plight of the destroyed villages, all because of a decision taken unilaterally by Hezbollah when it started military operations in the south under the excuse of supporting Gaza,” Geagea said in a statement.

“The same government that announced with the beginning of military operations that it did not take that decision has now dispensed LBP 93 billion to pay compensations to those affected by the military events in the south,” Geagea decried.

“The 93 billion Lebanese pounds are taxes and fees collected from the Lebanese, but have the majority of the Lebanese people or their parliamentary representatives approved of this decision for them to bear its financial, economic, social and political consequences?” the LF leader asked.

Cabinet’s decision “contradicts with the correct work of the state and with the aspirations and will of the majority of the Lebanese people,” Geagea added, noting that his rejection is “not targeted against the agonizing people or those whose homes were destroyed,” but rather against “those who are usurping the decisions of the people and the state,” in an apparent reference to Hezbollah.

He also warned that “being lenient in this matter encourages this group to wage further wars that are destructive to Lebanon.”

Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, has traded regular cross-border fire with Israel since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on southern Israel which triggered war in the Gaza Strip.

In recent weeks Hezbollah has stepped up its cross-border attacks, which it says are in support of Gazans and its ally Hamas, while Israel has struck deeper into Lebanese territory.

The violence has killed at least 440 people in Lebanon, mostly militants but also including 84 civilians, according to an AFP tally. The Israeli attacks have also caused vast material damage, especially in the border villages.

Israel says 14 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed on its side of the border.