Expanded Meeting Between the Kataeb Party and Project Watan

Gemayel Backs the Negotiation Track; Frem: Peace Must Be for the Affected, Not at Their Expense

An expanded meeting was held between the Kataeb Party and Project Watan at the latter’s headquarters, attended by MPs Sami Gemayel, Neemat Frem, Salim Sayegh, Elias Hankach, Jamil Abboud, along with a number of officials from both sides. The meeting provided an opportunity to review overall local, regional, and international developments, followed by an in-depth discussion of the current phase, its challenges, and ongoing efforts to halt the war, as well as the need to unify national efforts behind legitimate state institutions to steer the country out of its accumulated crises.

The meeting also served to reaffirm continued coordination between both sides across various national files, based on a shared vision centered on protecting Lebanon, consolidating its sovereignty, and building a modern state capable of meeting the aspirations of the Lebanese people.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel stated that “the visit to Project Watan comes in appreciation of this national project and the longstanding relationship between the two sides.” He wished MP Frem and all those working within the project continued success and momentum, affirming that cooperation will persist in the service of Lebanon – a slogan long upheld by the Kataeb Party.

He added that the Lebanese deserve to emerge from the cycle of crises that has accompanied them for decades, stressing that the time has come to transition to a normal life marked by peace, stability, and prosperity, where citizens enjoy safety and children grow up away from the sounds of rockets and wars that have burdened generations.

Gemayel stressed that the current phase requires standing by the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister in the face of intimidation, threats, and smear campaigns targeting them, noting that what the state is undertaking today falls within its national responsibility to defend Lebanon, protect its people, and preserve its sovereignty.

He emphasized that the President’s negotiation-based initiative represents the only realistic track capable of achieving national objectives – from the liberation of Lebanese territory to restoring calm, enabling the return of displaced persons to their homes, and ensuring stability in affected areas.

“Lebanon has previously tried other options that led only to further decline and collapse,” he said. “Supporting this negotiation track therefore serves Lebanon’s higher interests and helps restore the state’s full role in managing the country’s affairs and protecting its citizens.”

Gemayel also saluted Lebanese diplomacy, praising the efforts of official missions abroad and commending the performance of Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh. He noted that the role played by official institutions today is restoring citizens’ confidence in their state and its ability to defend their interests and dignity before the international community.

In turn, Chairman of Project Watan’s Executive Board, MP Neemat Frem, stressed that the relationship with the Kataeb Party is not recent, but rather historically rooted, built on shared national constants and a common vision for Lebanon’s future.

He said the aspirations of both parties are largely aligned, whether in their belief in a unified, pluralistic Lebanon based on genuine partnership among all its citizens, or in the need to develop the state and activate its institutions in line with the spirit of the Taif Agreement, laying the foundations for a productive, just, and cohesive society.

Frem explained that Project Watan was launched from this very conviction: the need to build a real homeland, not merely a formal state – one that provides opportunities for its youth, preserves the dignity of its citizens, and unleashes the latent energies of Lebanese society instead of wasting them in conflicts and divisions.

He noted that the meeting had been in preparation for some time, as part of cumulative efforts bringing together forces seeking to shape an integrated rescue project based on building a productive, effective, just, and strong homeland capable of withstanding crises and challenges.

Regarding current developments, Frem highlighted the importance of the efforts officially led by the Lebanese state, particularly the President’s initiative, considering that their success would constitute a pivotal moment in the current phase through a ceasefire, and open the door to a major national workshop to rebuild what has been destroyed at all levels.

He added that any ceasefire must not be merely a temporary truce, but rather a gateway toward a just and lasting peace that protects Lebanon from recurring wars and allows new generations to enter the twenty-first century from a position of productivity, innovation, and stability – not fear and collapse.

The MP affirmed that the next phase must first be grounded in genuine national unity, as there can be no possibility of building a strong state without internal cohesion.

He also stressed the need to address the suffering of the Lebanese who have paid the price of wars unrelated to Lebanon – whether through lost lives, the wounded, the displaced, or those whose homes and lands have been affected – emphasizing that the path to sustainable peace must be for their sake, not at their expense.

“Lebanon’s interest must remain above all else, and any political project that does not place the Lebanese individual – his dignity and security – at its core remains incomplete and unable to meet people’s needs or keep pace with their aspirations,” he said.

Frem affirmed that Project Watan is not the project of a single group, sect, or region, but a national space open to all Lebanese, welcoming everyone who believes in the state, sovereignty, reform, and genuine national partnership.

He concluded by expressing hope that the coming hours and days will bring positive developments that place Lebanon on the path to recovery, laying the groundwork for a new phase defined by stability, restored confidence, economic revival, and the building of a lasting peace worthy of the Lebanese people’s sacrifices and aspirations.