Samir Geagea rejects Lebanese leadership's response to US envoy, calls it 'unconstitutional'

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized the anticipated response from Lebanon's top three leaders to U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, labeling it unconstitutional, illegal, and unofficial.

In a statement, Geagea argued that Article 65 of the Lebanese Constitution stipulates that "executive authority is vested in the Cabinet, which sets the state's general policy across all fields without exception." 
  
He said that based on this, any response to Barrack's proposals issued outside a formal Cabinet session lacks legal or constitutional standing.

Geagea called on Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to convene the Cabinet without delay, ensuring ministers are fully briefed on Barrack's proposal so it can be discussed and an official position adopted through constitutional channels.

He stressed that Lebanon's fate is being determined in these critical moments, warning that any mistake or shortcoming by the country's key leaders could plunge the nation deeper into crisis, paralysis, or even reverse hard-earned progress.

Geagea accused Hezbollah of inflicting severe damage on Lebanon over the past 30 years, particularly in the last two, through what he described as reckless behavior driven by rigid ideology and foreign allegiances. He questioned the motives behind the Lebanese authorities' current approach, suggesting their actions lack transparency and constitutional legitimacy.

The Lebanese Forces leader concluded by urging both the Cabinet and Parliament to take responsibility during this sensitive period, seize available opportunities, and avoid dragging the country further into instability and uncertainty.