The Political Bureau of the Lebanese Phalange Party held its regular meeting, headed by the party’s head, MP Sami Gemayel, where the overall political, economic and social developments in the country were reviewed.
The attendees began their work by observing a minute of silence in honor of the spirit of the former president of the Liberal Patriots Party, Dory Camille Chamoun, whom the statement described as “a companion of the struggle in the most difficult stages,” and in commemoration of the martyrdom of MP Antoine Ghanem.
Regarding the political issue, the Political Bureau renewed its support for the Presidents of the Republic and the Government in their “sovereign stance,” calling on them to “accelerate in creating real change in Lebanon without waiting for external developments, and to implement government decisions to restrict weapons, starting with the safe areas and extending to the entire Lebanese territory.”
The party affirmed that “the state’s sovereignty and the exclusivity of weapons in its hands stems first from the provisions of the constitution, independent of foreign interests and policies,” considering that the presence of weapons outside the authority of the state “has proven that it does not deter Israel, but rather caused its army to enter southern Lebanon and constitutes a pretext for expanding its occupation.” He warned in this context that the government’s failure to perform its duties and implement its decisions may encourage the establishment of special projects for Lebanese groups at the expense of the unity of the state and the nation.
On the economic and social levels, the attendees discussed the continued “deterioration of the situation,” stressing that the current reality “can no longer tolerate fragmented solutions, but rather requires a real economic and social emergency plan,” especially with the approach of winter and the start of the school year, provided that it includes immediate measures that reduce the burdens on citizens and limit the aggravation of the crisis.
The party called on the state to “assume its responsibility to protect people from the repercussions of the crisis,” calling for taking quick steps that include reducing the state’s share of the price of diesel and gasoline cans, instead of being satisfied with long-term strategic plans that do not directly impact the current crisis. He also called on state institutions to pay their internal dues, specifically the money owed to the Electricité du Liban.
In its vision of long-term economic solutions, the statement saw that they require “combat tax evasion, improve state finances, and combat the illegal economy,” accusing Hezbollah of sponsoring this economy, and calling in parallel to stimulate foreign investments and address the repercussions of the war that has been ongoing in Lebanon for nearly four years.
The Political Bureau concluded its statement by emphasizing that “neutralizing Lebanon from external conflicts and imposing state authority over its entire territory” represent the two basic conditions for opening the way to the reconstruction process, attracting foreign investments, and putting the country on the path of recovery and advancement.
