June 26, 2016 11 News & Analysis What is behind the ’s withdrawal from government?

Mohamad Kawas “I cannot resign at a time when our country is facing such challeng- es,” he said, adding that, instead of seeking to walk out, Kataeb should reinforce its position in the govern- he leader of Lebanon’s Ka- ment and defend party issues. taeb Party, Sami Gemayel, Gemayel is the son of former pres- recently announced that ident and grandson Labour Minister Sejaan of Kataeb Party founder Pierre Ge- Qazzi and Economy Min- mayel. The party has always played Tister Alain Hakim would resign from a major role within Lebanon’s Chris- the Tammam Salam government. tian community but the results Qazzi subsequently said he would of the recent municipal elections not fulfil these directives and was demonstrated that the party is able suspended by the Kataeb Party. to match the ambitions, if not the Gemayel sought to portray the actual strength, of the political alli- decision as based on what was best ance between (Leba- for Lebanon, saying the party could nese Forces) and (Free not remain part of a weak, suspect Patriotic Movement). government. These are precisely By withdrawing from govern- the points raised by Salam, who ment, Gemayel is trying to restore acknowledged that his government the party to past glories from be- was unable to accomplish anything fore the civil war when it occupied and criticised the country’s political a key place in the Christian con- elite for prioritising partisan issues sciousness. Today, the party has over national ones. been supplanted by Geagea-Aoun partnership. Observers said its role Today, the party has in government overestimates its ac- been supplanted by tual strength and is based on the ab- Geagea-Aoun sence of from the partnership. government coalition. Gemayel’s decision to withdraw The only logical explanation for Kataeb from the government was Former Lebanese prime minister Saad al-Hariri (R) meets with Sami Gemayel, head of the Kataeb Kataeb’s withdrawal from the gov- likely not taken with his father’s Christian party, in Beirut, last February. ernment is that Gemayel is gam- consent. Amine Gemayel, in his 70s bling that this will result in a shock and retired from politics, has not move old-guard Kataeb figures, who ister. He has a storied history within However, nothing has been that generates support for the party issued a public statement confirm- arrived during the era of his father Lebanese Christian politics and ties leaked from Kataeb about its plans, among . There is no risk ing this but anybody who knows or even his grandfather. The Kataeb with other Lebanese Christian par- either because there is no specific that the move would torpedo the his policies and decision-making Party’s complicated and divisive ties, including Geagea’s Lebanese strategy in mind or because the par- government, given that Lebanon knows that he would not endorse history means that many members Forces. Given the political realities ty’s decision to withdraw from gov- has been without a president for a withdrawal from government of the party arrived under previous in Lebanon, Lebanese Forces is a ernment was reactive, rather than more than two years. when there is no prospect of a new incarnations. This is something that major rival to Kataeb, which could pre-emptive. Qazzi justified his rebellion government due to the absence of a perhaps explains the quick decision have partly motivated his decision Ultimately, the only thing that has against the Kataeb move by saying president. This withdrawal will only to expel Qazzi from the party. to expel Qazzi. changed is this: The Kataeb Party this was a “political decision” and further halt government action. Qazzi, 64, had been involved Gemayel has been quoted as say- rid itself of a figure it has long want- calling for the party to be realistic, Those who know Sami Gemayel, in Kataeb since he was in his 20s ing that this withdrawal is not the ed out: Sejaan Qazzi. warning against a walkout at a time who took over the country’s old- and said that he was disinclined to last action that will be taken by Ka- when Lebanon is without a presi- est independent Christian party in simply follow unilateral orders, all taeb and that Lebanon should ex- Mohamad Kawas is a Lebanese dent. 2015, say he could be seeking to re- these years later, when he is a min- pect new “surprises” from his party. writer. Lebanon is vulnerable and Washington should help

Viewpoint he writer and wit Toby perately under-resourced to fight the security situation in Lebanon — poor security, dysfunctional Young, famed for the any battles on the north-eastern and we do not believe that there is The recent utilities and no real economy to book How to Lose border. Is it perhaps the intention a reason to fear for its safety and speak of — combined with Syrian Friends and Alienate of both Iran and Saudi Arabia — stability. We are certain that the explosion on President Bashar Assad’s forces People, recently maybe even Washington — that it Lebanese want to preserve their the Syrian- along with those of mulled the idea of shouldn’t? country because they can see the Jordanian recapturing towns in Syria from Twhat friendship meant to him According to a recent report, destruction in the neighbouring the Islamic State (ISIS) has led US border after most of this chums failed to Washington is still interested in countries and they do not want to policy initiatives to be placed on even turn up at his stag party in helping Lebanon maintain its peace move this war to their own,” added must have the back burner. Spain a week before he married. as it continues to arm the Leba- the diplomat. resonated There are considerable argu- Martin Jay I wonder what the Spectator nese Army and assist it in its fight According to a Lebanese daily in the ears ments to assert that the United associate editor would make of the against terrorism. newspaper of some repute, the States, now more than ever, needs United States’ so-called friend- “Lebanon’s stability is a priority United States has asserted the “ne- of Lebanese to ramp up its military aid to ship with Lebanon. What do you for us,” a US diplomat recently told cessity to protect Lebanon and pre- Army Lebanon. The shifting plates of the call such a friendship when the Agence France-Presse. “Washing- vent its collapse in light of what is chief Jean Syrian war indicate Lebanon might powerful rich partner stands by ton has expressed this position happening in the region mainly the Kahwaji. be a sitting duck for reprisals as we and does almost nothing when ter- to accelerate the programme of war in Syria”. A deterioration in the have seen with the bombing on the rorists come to your doorstep and arming the Lebanese Army so that security situation will have danger- Jordanian-Syrian border. threaten your family? it could maintain this stability and ous repercussions on regional and The more extremist groups lose The recent explosion on the confront and win over in the war international levels, it added. ground; the more Lebanon appears Syrian-Jordanian border of a car being waged against terrorism.” In other words, Lebanon’s an attractive location for revenge bomb must have resonated in the “We look with satisfaction at extraordinary resilience at home attacks. Low-hanging fruit, yes, but ears of Lebanese Army chief Jean a reality that the Americans need Kahwaji — a Christian trained in to factor, particularly given that the United States who regularly Kurdish fighters are recipients of complains about Saudi Arabia US military aid. pulling the plug on $3 billion worth No one imagines that al-Nusra of largely French arms. In March, Front and ISIS will not wreak havoc Saudi Arabia announced it would in Lebanon if they continue to lose take the military hardware from battles not only in Syria but also in the French following Lebanon’s neighbouring Iraq. refusal to support Riyadh’s state- When this happens, Lebanon ments against Iran. needs to prepare itself for both Last year, the United States sent attacks on Hezbollah-held areas a cargo ship’s worth of weapons and its border areas. To secure the and ammunition and it recently frontier, a well-equipped army gave Lebanon three helicopters is essential as depleted stocks of but the Lebanese Army is des- ordnance will soon prove to be the Achilles heel of Kahwaji, who is not planning on any party soon, Lebanon’s extraordinary regardless of whether his American resilience at home has friends pay their own air fares. led US policy initiatives Martin Jay is the Beirut correspondent for the Daily to be placed on the back Mail and the founding editor burner. US Charge d’Affaires Richard H. Jones (C) sits inside a helicopter while Lebanon’s of An-Nahar English (Lebanon) Deputy Chief of Staff General Manuel Kerjian (R) stands next to him during a newspaper. Follow him on Twitter: ceremony at the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, last March. @MartinRJay.