Gemayel commemorates the 29th anniversary of the assassination of his father

Phalange Party MP Nadim Gemayel condemned on Wednesday the possession of illegitimate arms in Lebanon, saying that President Michel Suleiman and Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s positions on Hezbollah’s weapons won’t change the fact that “they are illegitimate.”

He said after a mass commemorating the 29th anniversary of the assassination of his father, former President Bashir Gemayel: “They believe that the army cannot protect Lebanon and therefore allowing one faction to carry arms encourages others to turn to arms as well.”

Gemayel also said that the phase Lebanon is going through is “hard and dangerous.”

The Maronite patriarch has faced criticism by many Christian figures of the Western-backed March 14 coalition after his recent statements in France supporting the resistance weapons of Hezbollah to defend Lebanon.