Intifada against Hezbollah: Lebanese lawmaker seeks to break terror group’s grip on Shi’ite community

Lebanese Kataeb party leader Sami Gemayel said Hezbollah has effectively taken the Shi’ite population hostage.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Lebanon’s Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel urged the country’s Shi’ite community to rise up against Hezbollah, arguing that the terrorist group has effectively taken the population hostage and that breaking its control is necessary as Lebanon pursues negotiations with Israel.

Speaking to a delegation from the Lebanese Press Editors’ Syndicate, Gemayel said he considers the Shi’ite community to be among Hezbollah’s victims and has sought ways to encourage a separation between the population and the group.

Gemayel said he approached Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri about engaging with Shi’ites on the issue, but Berri quickly shut down the discussion. Berri is closely allied with Hezbollah, and commentators have suggested that support from the group has assisted him politically.

L’Orient Today reported that Gemayel characterized the Shi’ite community as being held hostage by Hezbollah and said there should be an “intifada,” or uprising, against the group.

His remarks come as Lebanon continues negotiations with Israel aimed at ending the conflict. Gemayel supports the talks, which have resulted in efforts to disarm Hezbollah. The terrorist group opposes the negotiations and has said it will not give up its weapons.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has reported movement in the negotiations with Israel. The Lebanese presidency said Aoun “updated the government on positive progress in negotiations with Israel regarding the border issue.”

The discussions also concern “the prisoners’ issue,” involving Lebanese detainees held by Israel.

Aoun said that “Washington will work to address the ceasefire issue and the pilot zones,” according to the presidency.

Separately, violence continued in southern Lebanon on Saturday. An IDF soldier was moderately wounded by shrapnel while conducting operational activity in the area, according to the IDF Spokesperson.

The soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment, and his family was informed.

Lebanon later reported that a drone strike in the Kfar Roummane area of southern Lebanon wounded two people.