Elie marouni biography of christopher
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The parliamentary session will likely fail to elect a president as no candidate appears ready to secure two-thirds of the vote by MPs, and the session may not achieve quorum.
In addition to Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who has announced he will run for president, Western Bekaa MP Robert Ghanem from the March 14 coalition has also announced his candidacy.
Although the March 14 coalition has not yet officially taken a stance on Geagea’s candidacy, his nomination is expected to present the coalition with a tough choice.
Marouni said Gemayel’s political experience, history and ability to communicate with all the parties make him “a strong president capable of running the country’s affairs.”
Marouni said Gemayel, a key leader in the March 14 coalition who served as president of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988, is able to gain support from the rival Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance because he maintains contacts with all the parties.
Gemayel’s six-year mandate as president was marred by political differences and internal strife, including clashes between the Lebanese Army and militias of Syrian-backed Muslim parties in Beirut and the mountains.
Gemayel’s tenure also saw the deployment of U.S.-led multinational troops in Beirut to oversee the Palestine Liberation Organization’s pullout from Lebanon.
These troops returned to Lebanon after hundreds of Palestinian refugees were massacred by Israeli-allied Lebanese militiamen in the Sabra and Shatila camps following the assassination of his brother President-elect Bachir Gemayel.
Marouni warned of a presidential vacuum unless a regional and international agreement is reached on Lebanon’s next president.
Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi from the Kataeb Party said Gemayel’s candidacy does not contradict that of Geagea.
“This is not a problem,” he told The Daily Star.
I fear that through procrastination, we may be forced to accept terms harsher than those currently on the table."
"How can we justify not electing a president in the midst of this war, especially when all parliament members, including Hezbollah’s representatives, continue to attend sessions?" he questioned.
Marouni was also critical of the role Hezbollah has played in the broader regional conflict, asking, "What has Gaza gained from this war of support?"
He reiterated that Lebanon belongs to all Lebanese citizens and that no group should unilaterally engage in a war without the consent of the people.
"Since the beginning of this war, we have warned that what is happening at the border could lead to a full-scale war that will affect all of Lebanon," he said.
He questioned whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has any interest in ending the war, as both Hezbollah and Israel appear to claim victory while Lebanon remains in a State of devastation.
"The issue is that each of both sides, Hezbollah and Israel, is speaking as if it has won this war, while we are in a tragic situation on social, economic, and humanitarian fronts," he added.
The excuse that the Lebanese Army cannot defend the borders must stop. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale met Geagea in Maarab with whom he discussed the latest political developments in Lebanon and the region, the National News Agency reported.
Source: The Daily Star
Examiner Staff 1517
Marouni: Lebanon Must Be Rebuilt as a Unified State, Free of Armed Factions
Elie Marouni, a senior advisor to Lebanese Kataeb Party leader and former Minister, stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, calling on the Lebanese State to protect its citizens from further violence and destruction.
In an interview on OTV, Marouni emphasized the urgency of halting the ongoing conflict which has escalated in recent weeks, leaving Lebanon in a dire social, economic, and humanitarian crisis.
"We have gone through many wars in Lebanon, and at every stage, there have been dozens of attempts at a ceasefire that have remained unimplemented," Marouni said, reflecting on the country’s turbulent history of conflict.
"Lebanon is in a state of power vacuum, with no appointments being made and no president elected—this is dangerous for the survival of the State and the future of the people."
Marouni noted that Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts abroad, making calls with key U.S.
officials, but has yet to receive a clear answer regarding ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
On the role of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in the negotiations, Marouni deplored the consequences entailed by the lingering presidential void, stressing that the president of the republic is the sole negotiator stipulated by the Constituion.
"Following the trilateral meeting in Ain al-Tineh, we praised the roles of Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Speaker Nabih Berri in separating the conflict in Lebanon from that in Gaza.
I look with pride at the heroes who resisted and held their ground amidst death, destruction, and displacement. "We are afraid for our country, for our people, and for future generations who are being deprived of education and safety. Our founding leader, Pierre Gemayel, famously said, ‘If it weren’t for your resilience, Zahle, the face of Lebanon would have changed.’ We endured smaller sieges after that, but we preserved our presence until the Syrians entered the region.
If they believe that everything they are doing today is for Lebanon's sake, then they should return to the State's fold, as this is the only way to contribute to the country's rebuilding."
"Samy Gemayel has repeatedly insisted on this point and has rejected that any of the local factions feels defeated.,," he pointed out.
"Arms should be under the State's exclusive control.
“We hope that this election will take place, a new president will be elected and the country’s democratic system is bolstered so that we can move forward for the sake of Lebanon and the Lebanese,” he said.
Lebanon last month entered the two-month constitutional deadline for Parliament to meet to elect a new head of state to replace President Michel Sleiman, whose six-year term expires on May 25.
Speaker Nabih Berri Wednesday called on Parliament to convene on April 23 to elect a new president.
We simply cannot afford another war."
In conclusion, Marouni made it clear that, in the aftermath of any ceasefire, Lebanon will not accept a fragmented country with armed factions operating outside the legitimacy of the State.
"We want a State governed by law and institutions, where all political forces are equal and well integrated," he stated.
According to Marouni, President Assad viewed Lebanon as part of Syria, while the Lebanese resistance, led by President Gemayel, took a political and diplomatic approach, while fighters on the ground resisted Syrian incursions.
“What we’re recalling today in Ain El-Remmaneh is a call for reflection, to realize that continuing down this path will lead to the erasure of Lebanon as we know it,” Marouni said.
Zahle was under siege, with water and food blocked from entering the city, yet it stood firm. However, according to the Constitution and the law, the President of the Republic is the official negotiator and is required to sign any agreement reached. "This is our project for Lebanon's future."
Marouni: Lebanon's History of War and Foreign Influence Must Be Learned From
Advisor to the leader of the Lebanese Kataeb Party and former Minister Elie Marouni emphasized that Lebanon has endured both foreign wars on its soil and conflicts between its own people.
Lebanon belongs to us, and we do not want to destroy it because of unilateral decisions. It’s time for everyone to learn from our history.”
Marouni further pointed out the division within Lebanon, saying that “there’s an internal faction still clinging to its weapons and statelet, while another group calls for a state based on the rule of law, institutions, and justice.
It added that Sleiman, who spoke with Geagea by telephone Wednesday evening, also praised the LF leader for his political platform that stressed restoring the role and authority of the state as his main goal.
U.S. The strategy was to break Lebanese resistance, and some Lebanese people contributed to sustaining the war for 50 years, serving as instruments of foreign powers with vested interests in Lebanon’s destruction.”
Marouni also referenced recent remarks by President Amin Gemayel in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, where he shared his experiences with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad.
They came with their own internal plans, and like cancer, their influence began to spread throughout Lebanon. We don’t want our children to live through the same experiences.