Lebanese Politician Serge Dagher: We Want To Live In Peace; America And Europe Are Not Our Enemies, Our Role Models Are Not The Houthis Or Iran; Hizbullah Has To Decide If We Are Partners Or Collaborators

Serge Dagher, secretary-general of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, said in a January 24, 2024 interview on LBC TV [Lebanon] that the Lebanese people want peace. He said that the Lebanese people do not consider the U.S. or Europe to be their enemies, nor do they consider the Yemeni Houthis or Iran to be their role model. Dagher said that Hizbullah has to decide whether his party are partners or collaborators, because it is impossible to rule a country in partnership with "collaborators." He explained that if Hizbullah considers them to be "collaborators," then they must kill them or split into two separate countries.

Serge Dagher: "I want to live in peace. I want to go to work, knowing that I have a job, that if I got there, I will be back home, that tourists are coming to Lebanon. But you have an enemy… We are people [who like] tourism, traveling, humus, tabbouleh, Fairuz, the Rahbani brothers, culture, languages, and the connection to the West. We do not consider America and Europe to be our enemies. We are open people. The Houthis are not our role models. Our role model for democracy and women's rights is not Iran, where they punish women with 67 lashes for not covering their hair. You should calm down a little. Not everything you dislike makes us Zionists.

"In addition, let's stop all this talk about 'collaboration.' Make up your mind – are we your partners in this country or collaborators. If we are collaborators – fine. Nobody wants to live with collaborators. Do you really want to discuss the presidency and the budget with collaborators? Hizbullah are saying: We invited you for a dialogue, and you did not come. Why would they want to talk to me if I am a collaborator? If I am a collaborator, let's stop living together."

Interviewer: "How would you not live together with them?"

Dagher: "I am asking you: Who wants to live with collaborators? Either they kill us, or we can split into two countries – one for the collaborators, and the other would be the Hizbullah Republic."