Geagea says tensions with displaced won't lead to civil war

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has said that tensions between Lebanese displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah war and hosting communities might lead to “instability” but not to a “civil war,” adding that the Lebanese parties do not want such a conflict.

“They say that it takes two to tango. I don’t see two components or more in Lebanon who want a civil war tango dance. There is no doubt that people are in constant fear of being entangled in airstrikes targeting Hezbollah members hiding among civilians. We must try to lower the risks at the level of each one of us,” Geagea added, in an interview with Italy’s Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper.

As for Hezbollah becoming solely a political party after the war, Geagea said: “Hezbollah has a major popular base among the Shiite community in Lebanon and we respect this reality, that’s why it can easily continue to function as a political party.”

“It also can maintain its political ties to Iran, exactly as we have our relations with our friends in Europe, Italy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. But they cannot be involved in political action and at the same time form a military militia that is independent from the state,” the LF leader added.