In a heartfelt appeal, Lebanese MP Sami Gemayel has penned an open letter to his fellow MPs, particularly those yet to decide their vote, concerning the nation's course post the Syrian occupation since 2005.
Gemayel recalls the brutal regime that gripped Lebanon, marked by oppressions, tragedies, and calculated attempts to control the country's decision-making through threats, intimidation, and killings. He points to a series of assassinations, starting with Rafik Hariri and involving many close friends and colleagues, as a stark illustration of this control.
He laments the years of institutional paralysis, highlighted by the two-year siege of the government Serail, ending with the armed occupation of Beirut and the intimidation of its citizens on May 7, 2008.
The era marked by the Doha Agreement saw new, unconstitutional norms established, transitioning into a phase where control over decision-making continued unabated, with further assassinations and thwarted attempts leaving a lasting impact on survivors.
Post attempts to control through force, the transition to temptation occurred amid a freeze in constitutional obligations, ranging from government formations to parliamentary elections and presidential elections. This phase culminated in the imposition of their presidential candidate in 2016.
Gemayel suggests that today, we are in the third stage, where there are attempts to establish complete tutelage over Lebanon. If they succeed, he predicts, the years ahead will witness the continued alteration of Lebanon's identity, grounded in freedom, democracy, and plurality.
Despite the challenges, Gemayel assures that their approach is not confrontational but centered around a moderate personality, with an emphasis on sovereignty, equality, partnership, and freedom. However, he notes, this approach was met with betrayal and accusations.
Gemayel pleads with his colleagues to choose wisely, arguing that the vote will determine the trajectory of the next stage. The rejection of violence for violence, weapons for weapons, offers an opportunity to halt the downward spiral and restore balance to Lebanon peacefully and democratically.
Independent of backgrounds, analyses, and squabbles, the reality remains that a large group of MPs will have their say tomorrow. This is not about challenging as some depict, but about demanding partnership and freedom. Even though Jihad Azour possesses all the needed qualities at this stage, the most important aspect is to realize that the decision is in our hands, it's not bigger than us, and it's not external.
Voting for "the resistance candidate," as Mohamed Raad labeled yesterday, will only consolidate Hezbollah's dominance over Lebanon. Conversely, voting for Jihad Azour is a statement of our desire to shape our future, institutions, and economy away from violence and imposition, under the umbrella of the constitution.
Wasting votes, whether through blank ballots or the name of a non-contender, only serves those who try to downplay the magnitude of the MPs' uprising against their country's reality.
He urges not to wait for the second round to express opinions, as the chances of disrupting the quorum are possible. The real test lies in the first round.
While Gemayel acknowledges individual preferences for a president, he emphasizes that now is the time to put aside personal biases and consider our country's and our children's future. He asks his fellow MPs to decide the Lebanon they want their children to live in - a Lebanon of force and violence, or a Lebanon of sovereignty, freedom, constitution, and partnership. The decision, he states, is in their hands.