(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese MP Samy Gemayel said if the international community doesn’t intervene, Christians may be driven out of the Middle East within two years.
“Maybe in two years you will not have Christians in the region anymore except in Lebanon because we are strong and we are still defending ourselves,” Gemayel said in a radio interview with New York’s AM 970.
Gemayel warned Christians and moderate Muslims are victims of extremists in the region.
“Today all the moderates in the region are taken between two big extremists powers. On one side you have ISIS and on the other side you have the Islamic state of Iran,” he said.
“So you have two Islamic states with two very extremist ideologies fighting against each other. And the moderates are stuck in a sandwich between these two powers.”
Gemayel said Christians and “minority communities” were not receiving enough support from the international community.
“Unfortunately the Christians are paying the price all over the region and that’s why we have been calling for the international community to do something about the Christians all over the region,” he said. “That means support. And they are left alone.”
Gemayel added that he was “disappointed” by the lack of Western support. He said the U.S. was backing the “wrong side” in Iran negotiations.
“Unfortunately, I believe the dialogue with Iran is sending the wrong message,” he said.
Samy Gemayel is the son of former Lebanese President and current Kataeb leader Amine Gemayel.