The political office of the Lebanese Phalange Party warned against re-involving Lebanon in a spiral of escalation and war, calling on the executive authority to implement the decisions to limit arms in the hands of the state, stressing at the same time the rejection of any new tax increases before the required structural reforms are accomplished.
The Political Bureau held its regular meeting, chaired by party leader MP Sami Gemayel, where it discussed the latest political, economic and legislative developments.
In a statement following the meeting, the Political Bureau warned Hezbollah of “the consequences of re-involving Lebanon in the cycle of escalation and war,” especially in light of the threats of its Secretary-General before the expiration of the term of the Iranian-American memorandum of understanding, and what it described as attempts to disrupt the state-led path to save Lebanon from the repercussions of wars.
He referred to the statements of the Speaker of the Iranian Shura Council, Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf, regarding his continued direct contact with fighters on the front lines in Lebanon, considering that they constitute additional evidence, according to the statement, of the extent of Iranian interference in Lebanese affairs and the continued treatment of Lebanon as an Iranian arena of influence.
The Political Bureau stressed that “Lebanon does not have the luxury of returning to wars for which the Lebanese alone pay in terms of their lives, security, stability, and economy.”
He called on the executive authority to assume its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to implement its decisions related to restricting weapons to the state, considering that this step constitutes the gateway to protecting Lebanon and its sovereignty and preventing any party from dragging it into a confrontation in which the state has no decision.
He believed that Hezbollah keeping its weapons outside the authority of the state, along with the threat of reopening the fronts, would lead to more Israeli attacks and deepening the suffering of the Lebanese, displacement and destruction.
Economically, the Political Bureau rejected any new tax increases or measures that would increase the burdens on citizens before achieving the required structural reforms, most notably reforming state institutions, stopping waste and evasion, and addressing the illegal economy and financial imbalances.
He stressed that “it is not permissible to burden the Lebanese with additional burdens while basic reforms are still pending.”
In the legislative file, the Political Bureau noted the approval of the abolition of the death penalty, considering it an advanced legislative step consistent with protecting the right to life and developing the human rights system.
On the other hand, he renewed the Phalange Party’s position of rejecting the amnesty law in its current form, stressing that addressing grievances and lifting injustice against those who deserve it must be done without turning amnesty into a means of escaping punishment or expanding the circle of its beneficiaries at the expense of justice and the rule of law.
