Can the Gemayels rebrand the Kataeb as a strong yet independent Christian party?
Uniters?
The Kataeb, headed by Mr. Amine Gemayel, has always been an essential partner in the March14 coalition. In fact, Mr. Gemayyel, an ex-President, has lost a son because of that affiliation. But today, signs are showing that the Gemayels are distancing themselves from the Cedar revolutionaries.
Mr. Gemayel surprised many when he proposed a “neutral government” to the Arab League secretary as a “personal proposal” to solve the current political impasse. The idea is politically shrewd; it takes the impetus away from those blaming Lebanon’s problems on the Seniora government and lays a trap for Christians opposing the immediate appointment of Mr. Suleiman as a President.
Mr. Gemayel’s apparent autonomy is not just tactical. It seems specially designed to lure Christians who have grown disillusioned by the sharp division in their midst. He recently dispatched his son Sami, head of the Youth and Student Council of the Kataeb, to Christian villages in the south to make Obama-esque calls for Christian solidarity and unity, and to tell Christians that the Kataeb will always welcome them –regardless of their political affiliation– to protect them against regional marginalization.
The reason Mr. Gemayel is taking this road is in the combination of threats and opportunities he saw in Mr. Michel Aoun’s trajectory. The FPM leader’s Christian populism had tapped deep into a popular Christian resentment against the perceived usurpation of power by Muslims, but his over-promising and his blocking of Mr. Sleiman’s presidency ended up stranding many of his supporters. A goldmine of potential Kataeb members if you ask Mr. Gemayel.
Will he succeed? You tell me.
Related Beirut Spring Post:
• Last June, I wrote about a similar attempt by Mr. Gemayel to differentiate himself by creating a “strong Christian” image.
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I've been blogging about Lebanese society, business and politics since February 2005.
First, any effort to lure Christians from Aoun is welcomed and must be taken by the Christian community.
Second, one thing you forgot is that Gemayel was unhappy that he was not nominated by March 14 as a prospect President of Lebanon.
Makes no difference. There’ll be no country called Lebanon if elections do not proceed by 50+1…
I hope your right Mustapha.
I tell you, from where I live, and my surroundings… Lebanese (Christians) are Fed Up of Politics!
They, We, All Lebanese re-envision a smooth grab on things, (from Feb 2005, this time without the Syrians) cause we have all realized we are doing fine… the only problems are coming from our politicians… left and right, Christians and Muslims.
We Love Life… We Swear!
Gemayel is planning ahead, for the 09 parliamentary elections that is. He as well as Murr know very well they stand to “welcome” the disenchanted that have and will further desert aoun and the orangies. Not forgetting that Karim Pakradoni is trying to yet again introduce a 3rd option which he calls neutral and we know its pro-syrian and will be allied to the likes of Franjieh, Fris, Ferzli(the 3 F’s)etc…
Our current state is no longer viable:
we must remain true to our past and to the sacrifies of our martyrs who have battled and lost their lives in defense of freedom and peace in Lebanon.
The pluralism of our society is a gift, and history proved to us that no dominant culture can impose its orientations on the others…
In order to live in peace and prosperity, we have to build a State that protects its various cultural entities, organizing harmonious relation between them:
The solution is in a new constitution formula, that combines the divergent interests of each lebanese culture, in one unique, united and powerful state!
“7allna ntawwir el nizam”…samy gemayel we are all proud of you,lebanese kataeb party will reborn again, you are the new leader of the christians in Lebanon. The real lebanese State will be established correctly…we are counting on you!!!
check http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=MBHd7fZ1XUA