Lebanese Journalist and Politician Naufal Daou: Hizbullah Is Occupying Lebanon

Lebanese journalist Naufal Daou, a member of March 14 Alliance, called upon the Christians and other Lebanese to oppose Hizbullah. "Our problem today in Lebanon is that Hizbullah is just like any occupying force," with illegitimate weapons, he said, adding that nobody dares to open his mouth. Locking horns with the TV interviewer, Dima Sadek, who said that there was no army in Lebanon other than the Lebanese army, Daou said: "The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps are here. They are called Hizbullah." He was speaking on LDC TV on June 28.

Naufal Daou: "The Christians should start to expose the illegitimacy of Hizbullah and its weapons. The Christians must say, plain and simple, that our source of authority is the state, which protects us, and not the Assad regime, Iran, or any foreign regional axis.

[...]

"Every time we try to reach a settlement we make things worse. The settlement that made Michel Aoun president was an historic mistake, just like the [2008] Doha Agreement. It was an historic mistake. If you ask me what needs to be done, I will tell you, plain and simple: The Christians and the other Lebanese should say to Hassan Nasrallah: This is wrong. Go take a flying leap. Whatever happens, we won't back you. What will he do – occupy Lebanon? He's already done so. What's he going to do? Let me tell you what the problem is. Our problem today in Lebanon is that Hizbullah is just like any occupying force. First of all... Let me finish..."

Dima Sadek: "But as an interviewer, I can't agree..."

Naufal Daou: "No, no..."

Dima Sadek: "You're talking about occupation..."

Naufal Daou: "That's my opinion."

Dima Sadek: "But this is an offense to some Lebanese..."

Naufal Daou: "No, it's not. This is an occupation. If you don't let me call it an occupation, I'll take offense. This is where the resistance to Hizbullah begins."

Dima Sadek: "But they are Lebanese."

Naufal Daou: "So what? These Lebanese are illegitimate because they occupy us by the force of the gun. Their weapons are illegitimate. It is an occupation force that has taken over our political decision-making. They seek the help of mercenaries. They threaten to bring mercenaries to Lebanon in defiance of the position of the state.

[...]

"Today, nobody dares to open his mouth. Thirty ministers in the government, and none of them dares to say to Nasrallah: 'What gives you the right to say what you say?' The president keeps his mouth shut. The army commander keeps his mouth shut. The defense and foreign ministers keep their mouths shut. Nobody even mentions U.N. Resolutions 1701 and 1559. Nobody talks about Lebanon's international obligations. Nobody says that there can be no military force in Lebanon other than the Lebanese army and the U.N. forces. If you start to..."

Dima Sadek: "I didn’t know there was any army here apart from the Lebanese army."

Naufal Daou: "You think so?"

Dima Sadek: "I know so."

Naufal Daou: "Whatever..."

Dima Sadek: "There is no other army in Lebanon."

Naufal Daou: "Well..."

Dima Sadek: "The Syrian army used to be here. But is there any foreign army here today?"

Naufal Daou: "The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps are here. They are called Hizbullah. Don't tell me... Don’t try to muzzle me..."

Dima Sadek: "I'm not. I'm giving you facts. The members of these 'Revolutionary Guard Corps' are Lebanese, not Iranian."

Naufal Daou: "So what if they are Lebanese? Whose orders do they obey?"