Lebanese Journalist Rami Naim: Nasrallah Should Go To Prison; War Is The Only Way To Confront Hizbullah; Homosexuality Should Be Decriminalized

Lebanese journalist Rami Naim said in a September 5, 2023 interview with Bel Moubasher Online (Lebanon) that he wants war with Hizbullah and that armed confrontation is the only way to stand up to Hizbullah. He said that if Samir Geagea had spent 11 years in prison for his role in the assassination of Rashid Karami, then Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah should also serve 11 years in prison. In addition, Naim said that Hizbullah is buying up land in Christian areas. He added that homosexuality should be decriminalized and that religious scholars from all sects have destroyed Lebanon.

Rami Naim: "I am against any criminal who has perpetrated any crime, but I see that if Samir Geagea killed Rashid Karami – he spent 11 years in prison..."

Interviewer: "He was sentenced in court..."

Naim: "If Samir Geagea killed Rashid Karami and spent 11 years in prison for it, send Hassan Nasrallah to 11 years in prison to make me happy. Send him to 11 years in prison for me."

[...]

Interviewer: "So you do not want a dialogue [with Hizbullah]?"

Naim: "Correct."

Interviewer: "So what do you want?"

Naim: "I want war."

Interviewer: "You want war?"

Naim: "Of course. Absolutely. My problem with this country is that nobody has the courage to admit that there is no way to frighten Hizbullah and cause it a great crisis unless there is an armed force facing Hizbullah, telling it: 'Either both of us hand in our weapons or we launch a confrontation.' The reason is that Hizbulllah has a large long-term plan. Hizbullah does not only confront you on the political level. That is over. Hizbullah's plan has a geographic dimension to it. If Hizbullah hears that there is a piece of land for sale in Bsharri it pays $500 per meter to buy it. Why? Why would Hizbullah buy land in Bsharri?"

[...]

"Hizbullah employs that same policy Israel is using against the Palestinians. [Nasrallah] learned from the Israelis, who bought the lands from the Palestinians, who then left."

[...]

Interviewer: "Samir Geagea supports gay [rights]?"

Naim: "He did not state his position. This is a matter of freedom... In any case, he does not criminalize [homosexuality]. Unlike Hizbullah, he does not say that the homosexuals should be imprisoned. Why would you place them in prison? This should be decriminalized. This law should be amended. Today, you can no longer treat people in such a barbaric way. The world has moved on. You are free to say that you do not agree with the promotion [of homosexuality], but the criminalization of homosexuality is forbidden."

[...]

Interviewer: "The religious scholars from all the sects, also..."

Naim: "The religious scholars have destroyed us. Lebanon's problem is the religious scholars from all sects."