Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel on Friday deemed neutrality as the only way to protect Lebanon from external interventions and regional conflicts, saying that the lack of neutrality exposes and implicates the State into conflicts and the people with sanctions.

“In 2013, the Kataeb party has proposed a constitutional amendment to introduce neutrality but we couldn’t get the signature of 10 lawmaker in a bid to support this proposal,” Gemayel said following his meeting with Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi in Bkirki along with a Kataeb delegation in Bkirki.

“It is now the time to translate the stances announced by the parliamentary blocs through signing the party’s proposal,” he added, deeming neutrality as a national necessity.

Gemayel stressed that Lebanon's neutrality has nothing to do with everything that affects its sovereignty and independence, saying that the country’s right to defend itself is not related to neutrality.

“Self-defense is a sacred right in the Charter of Human Rights,” he said.

"Whoever wants to link Lebanon with foreign interests and let people pay the price must bear their responsibilities towards the Lebanese and the history,” he added.

The meeting was attended by Kataeb’s Deputy-President Selim Sayegh, the party's Vice President Georges Jreij, the party’s Secretary-General Nazar Najarian, former Economy Minister Alain Hakim and the party’s political Bureau member Sami Khalaf.