Lebanese MP Camille Chamoun: Israel's Continued Presence In Lebanon Is Justified Until Hizbullah Surrenders Its Weapons; Hizbullah Should Finance Reconstruction – They Caused The Destruction

Lebanese MP Camille Chamoun explained in a February 20, 2025 appearance on Spot Shot on YouTube that Israeli presence in five strategic spots in Lebanon is justified as long as Hizbullah has not surrendered its weapons to the Lebanese government. He emphasized that it was not Israel that started the war, but Hizbullah, which has forced itself on Lebanon. Chamoun emphasized that Hizbullah must pay for the reconstruction of Lebanon, because they had caused the destruction. He added that Christians would rather keep their money in order to spend it on building infrastructure and institutions.

Host: "Israel is still occupying Lebanon, it is still on Lebanese lands. Just like Israel did not abide by the agreement, Hizbullah won't."

Camille Chamoun: "Israel is still occupying five points that it deems to be strategic, until the last weapon – not just of the resistance – until all the illegal weapons are surrendered to the Lebanese government. Until then, it wants to keep these five posts. Once the weapons are surrendered, we will force Israel to withdraw from these five points. Up until then, it is within Israel's right..."

Host: "What the heck?"

Chamoun: "Yes. It is Israel's right. It wants to protect northern Israel. Who attacked first? Did we attack Israel or did Israel attack us?

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"We did not ask [Hizbullah] to do anything. It forced itself on us, and declared whatever... that it wanted to reach Tel Aviv and beyond. The outcome is that it was pushed back north of the Litani River. They have lost everything that was there to lose – the life of Hassan Nasrallah, all the other martyrs, all their villages, and their entire arsenal. What have they gained? What have we Lebanese gained from this entire story?

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"I would like to remind you that the strong is calling the shots.

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"[Hizbullah] caused this destruction and it should pay the bill. They said they do not want (money) from anyone. Nasrallah had said so himself before he died."

Host: "Right, and Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterated this."

Chamoun: "They said they do not want anything from anyone, and that they would rebuild it all. Go ahead. Rebuild it all.

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"We, in the [Christian] towns of Keserwan, Jbeil, and our other areas, will not pay our money to cover Hizbullah's strategic mistakes. It is not our business. We want to keep our money, and rebuild the infrastructure in our areas. We want to improve our areas, supply electricity and water, build roads, build schools, build universities. We want to keep our money to ourselves."