Geagea Blames Hizbullah and Its Allies for Lebanon's Ongoing Crisis

W460

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday blamed Hizbullah and its local allies led by President Michel Aoun for the rapidly deteriorating economy and worsening relations with neighboring Arab countries, saying the only solution is for them to leave power.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Geagea said that Monday's military flare-up along the border with Israel was a clear indication the current Lebanese government, which Hizbullah supports, doesn't have sovereignty in the south, along Israel's border, where thousands of U.N. peacekeepers are based.

The Israeli military said it thwarted an infiltration attempt Monday by Hizbullah militants after which it bombed border areas in south Lebanon. Hizbullah denied its members were involved in any activity along the border while the Lebanese government commented only a day later.

"Yesterday's incident gives a clear idea about the state of sovereignty for the Lebanese state. Is that acceptable?" Geagea said in the telephone interview. "Which Arab and foreign countries want to deal with a government that considers itself nonexistent at a time when there is a security danger along its border?"

Hizbullah and its allies of the Free Patriotic Movement of President Aoun control majority seats in parliament and are the main backers of the current government that took office earlier this year. Prime Minister Hassan Diab replaced Western-backed Saad Hariri who resigned in October, following nationwide protests against widespread corruption and mismanagement by Lebanon's rulers.

Since then, the government has struggled to contain the escalating crisis, made worse by the pandemic. The government defaulted on paying back its debt for the first time in March, and the past few months have seen the Lebanese currency lose more than 80% of its value.

The government has requested a bailout from the International Monetary Fund but negotiations with the lender that started in mid-May have stalled because of divisions within the Lebanese leadership. Oil-rich gulf nations as well as international donors are refusing to give Lebanon a hand before major reforms are carried out within state institutions.

Geagea, whose party has taken part in successive governments for the past decade and has 15 legislators in the 128-member parliament, said Lebanon received much assistance from Arab and Western countries in the past but all was wasted. Only a new, independent government would be able to win back the international community's confidence, he said.

Geagea warned the alliance between Hizbullah and Aoun's party "has brought Lebanon to where it is and they will continue to do the same in the months to come."

"As long as they are in power we will continue in the crisis. It is a very simple and clear equation," Geagea said. "They are living on a different planet."

The state's strategic decisions are in Hizbullah's hands, leading to deteriorating Lebanon's relations with Arab states, he also said.

Geagea, whose party played a major role in Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, said that once Hizbullah withdraws its fighters from Yemen, Syria and Iraq, and stops implementing Iran's policy, Arab states will most likely review relations with Lebanon.

Comments 10
Thumb abe_Lincolnstein 28 July 2020, 18:52

Jesus and the Virgin Mary were Jewish! Cristians are followers of a Jew! catholics are followers of a Jew! The catholic Cristian tric.portugal is Jewish!

Thumb abe_Lincolnstein 28 July 2020, 23:13

Portugal roubed and killed the ingenuous people of south, central america and the Caribbeans. Portugal also like to kill and roubed the Africans in Angola, Mozambique, guinea and so on. Portugal are the exterminators of civilizations!! Facts are facts. tric.portugal defend the exterminators of the Civilizations.

Thumb abe_Lincolnstein 28 July 2020, 23:13

And more... Mary was Jewish. Jews descent through the maternal line. So Jesus was Jewish. Cristians catholics are followers of a Jew! The catholic Cristian tric.portugal is Jewish! Facts are facts!!

Thumb Geralt 29 July 2020, 09:42

tric.portugal is a troll with the objective to piss everybody else! he also goes by the name lapeaudecouille or something!

Thumb abe_Lincolnstein 29 July 2020, 14:41

Portugal. Beggars begging for money Lol... Generation without dignity. Portugal the P in the Pigs of Europe. The first letter and only capital letter. Useless subservient people are the Portuguese, they turned the motherland a Prostitute that depends on cash from those who exploit her! Losers that's what you are, all of you, because you are incapable to build a Productive country, a country that depends on the mercy of others. You would be speaking Spanish if not from Wellington's Protestant British Army. The only way China would invest in Portugal is by bringing the 2 million of Meca refugies because Portuguese are too lazy to do anything.

Thumb abe_Lincolnstein 29 July 2020, 14:44

Facts are facts!!

Missing tintophat 30 July 2020, 15:47

Actually Jesus was not Jewish as he was never except by the Jews and neither did he want to be excepted by them (hence Christianity) a 2 year old can work that out

Thumb Mystic 30 July 2020, 16:52

Yet the jews also said that Jesus was a fake messiah, and it was the jewish rabbihs that gave Jesus up to the Romans for Crucifixion.

Missing samiam 28 July 2020, 21:21

Technically Geagea is an ally of Aoun who is an ally of kizb which makes him a defacto ally. If he would have the cajones to break away, then we might be able to say something, but until then, words, which don't mean much because of the LACK of action.

Thumb Geralt 29 July 2020, 09:48

Exactly, Geagea should have let the democracy start its course in the LF party! Held discussions to choose within the LF a charismatic and 'clean hands' person to present as a runner for presidency!
With the back up of Hariri, Joumblat and the other opposition parties (back then) chances to beat papa Aoun might have been better!
Anyways, let us not forget that Geagea has blood tainted hands and that he will never see the presidency!