Frem Warns of a Geopolitical Hurricane and Calls for Handing Over Weapons Before It’s Too Late

The Chairman of Project Watan’s Executive Board, MP Neemat Frem, stated that the current phase is “exceptionally delicate and dangerous” and can no longer be approached in terms of months; it must be viewed in terms of centenaries.

“We have practically entered the second centenary of the Lebanese entity, and it feels as though the validity of the entire Middle East map is nearing its end,” he said.

In a striking statement, Frem warned that “the East as a whole is caught in the hurricane of redrawing its geopolitical map,” a prospect he described as “terrifying.”

“We at Project Watan sensed this two years ago, with the forced transfer of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Mass transfers were among the most notorious hallmarks of World War I, and today it feels as though this file has been reopened,” he explained. “The hurricane is coming, and we already see its manifestations in the ongoing tragedy in Gaza, as well as in the Israeli Knesset’s recent vote regarding the West Bank.”

The lawmaker added: “What is happening in Gaza is unacceptable – indeed, horrifying – and serves as an early warning for Lebanon. New maps are only drawn through the shedding of much blood. Hence comes the call for rationality, especially to Hezbollah regarding the issue of its weapons. The current situation has become intolerable; the weapons now pose an existential threat to the Lebanese entity – at a time that demands the highest levels of wisdom, awareness, and foresight. If Hezbollah refuses to hand over its weapons, that would mean it no longer wishes for Lebanon to survive, and we would then enter an extremely perilous phase.”

In a show of support for state institutions, Frem reaffirmed his backing of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and the central state, “which constitutes the true guarantor of the entity.”

He stressed: “The situation is extremely difficult, and Presidents Aoun and Salam are facing an escalating international challenge, especially in light of recent intimations that the Lebanese file could be entrusted to regional players.”

Frem also praised the recent judicial appointments, calling them “a qualitative leap compared to the past, particularly in terms of the caliber of the proposed names.” He hailed the adoption of the law regulating and ensuring the independence of the judiciary after many long years of waiting, as well as the banking sector reform law, and the step of lifting immunities from ministers and MPs, describing it as “an essential gateway to enable the judiciary to fully perform its role of accountability.”

He further noted that, alongside several MPs, he has submitted a draft law to abolish the clause that limits diaspora representation to six seats, considering this restriction “no longer realistic or fair,” given that more than 30% of registered Lebanese voters now live abroad. He warned that denying expatriates their full electoral rights constitutes a grave risk.

“This is shameful,” he said. “We are a loyal people, and today we survive thanks to their constant support. Expatriates are a key economic engine for the country. If they are excluded now, they may eventually relinquish their Lebanese citizenship in the years to come.”

As a former president of the Maronite Foundation for the Diaspora, Frem cautioned that maintaining the current electoral law risks eroding any remaining desire among the diaspora to reclaim their nationality or sustain structural ties with their homeland, warning that the aggravation of this issue could jeopardize the upcoming parliamentary elections.