Political Views
Within Lebanon, Sami is known for his staunch far right-wing stances. In May 2010, he criticized Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, asking him if he thought that all Lebanese who shared the Phalange's views were "Israeli agents." On 8 September 2010, he caused controversy when he claimed that "he is not ashamed that his party dealt with Israel against Syria at a certain stage." Sami insisted that given the situation in which they were facing both PLO militiamen and Syrian troops, the Phalange had no choice but to accept aid from Israel. At the same time, he stated that any Lebanese foreign collaboration that took place since the end of the civil war in 1990 is not justifiable and that those who did collaborate should be considered traitors and foreign agents.
In December 2009, he expressed hope that Lebanon would play a positive, neutral role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as long as neither side attacked Lebanon. Gemayel also said that Lebanese-Syrian relations could only be "perfect" once Syria releases the Lebanese detainees in their prisons and settles its boarder disputes with Lebanon.
Read more about this topic: Samy Gemayel
Famous quotes containing the words political and/or views:
“I would like you to understand completely, also emotionally, that I’m a political detainee and will be a political prisoner, that I have nothing now or in the future to be ashamed of in this situation. That, at bottom, I myself have in a certain sense asked for this detention and this sentence, because I’ve always refused to change my opinion, for which I would be willing to give my life and not just remain in prison. That therefore I can only be tranquil and content with myself.”
—Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937)
“Your views are now my own.”
—Marvin Cohen, U.S. author and humorist.
In conversation, after having taken a strong position in an argument and heard a complete refutation of his position.