Samy Gemayel

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Samy Gemayel elected president of Kataeb party

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — MP Samy Gemayel was elected on Sunday as the new president of the Kataeb party, replacing his father Amine Gemayel who announced he would not seek re-election after leading the party since 2007.

The election shifts the leadership of the Kataeb party to the third generation of the Gemayel family, who formed the party in 1936 as a Maronite paramilitary youth organization.

Gemayel, 34, garnered a majority 339 votes, as his contender Pierre Atallah received 37 votes.

“I feel a very heavy burden and I will shoulder a huge responsibility,” a tearful Gemayel said following the election. “My daily work will be alongside all Kataeb members, all Lebanese and all decent people.”

The polls opened at 10 a.m. at the Kataeb headquarters in Saifi during the last day of the Kataeb General Conference, which began on Friday at the Le Royal Hotel in Dbayeh.

Polls closed at 3 p.m., and results were announced shortly after 8 p.m.

“I will not be able to do anything on my own,” Gemayel added, asking for teamwork and unity as key for his upcoming term. “You have entrusted me with a huge responsibility.”

Gemayel, who was elected into parliament in 2009, promised to “exert his full efforts” and practice the “values of democracy.” He first announced his candidacy two weeks ago in Bikfaya.

“I shall remain loyal to the sacrifices of the Lebanese people,” Gemayel said, adding that he will head to Bickfaya to visit his family martyrs “from whom he derives his power.”

Joseph Abu Khalil was elected as Kataeb’s deputy leader and former Minister Salim Sayegh was elected as the second deputy leader. A political bureau team was also elected on Sunday.

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 News

Gemayel: Christians may be driven out of the Middle East within two years

(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.

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 City Beat, Los Angeles, News

Kataeb host diaspora convention in Los Angeles

(LOS ANGELES, CA) — The Lebanese Kataeb Party hosted the “USA Lebanese Kataeb Diaspora Convention” at the Embassy Suites in Los Angeles, California from Dec. 5 to 7.

MP Samy Gemayel traveled to Los Angeles to participate in the conference, which occurred at the same time as the World Lebanese Cultural Union World Council meeting in LA.

Gemayel thanked members of the U.S. Kataeb chapters for organizing the conference and encouraged them to keep believing in Lebanon.

“We know that if what’s available to you in America or Canada was available to you in Lebanon, we know where you’d be,” he said. “You all live here, but your heart is in Lebanon. We have faith that in the end, good will triumph and evil will fail.”

Gemayel urged the Lebanese diaspora to buy homes in their motherland and cast their ballots to choose “good” candidates in elections.

Gemayel also discussed issues related to Lebanon, including the attacks on Lebanese soldiers in recent months.

“This is not the first time Lebanon is going through tough times,” he said. “But trust your logic that is stronger than the logic of criminals who kill our soldiers. They are cowards because they attack and kill those who are fighting in defense of their country.”

RELATED: Samy Gemayel attend WLCU ceremony to reveal Gibran Khalil Gibran statue. Read more.

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 City Beat, Lifestyle, Los Angeles, News

WLCU unveils Gibran Khalil Gibran statue

(LOS ANGELES, CA) — The World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) unveiled a long anticipated sculpture of Lebanese-American poet Gibran Khalil Gibran at the Los Angeles Central Library in Los Angeles, California on Dec. 5.

The unveiling, which happened during the week of the WLCU World Council Meeting at the Millennium Bitmore Hotel, commemorates the 130th anniversary of Gibran’s birth in Bsharri, Lebanon in 1883.

The statue of Gibran was sculpted by Lebanese-American artist Victor Issa at the LA Public Library, which is the largest library in the United States. Nearly 13 million people visit the library each year.

“Unfortunately a city like Los Angeles is honoring famed Lebanese people than Lebanon itself is getting an opportunity to,” said Metn MP Sami Gemayel, who attended the unveiling. “Lebanon needs the teachings of Gibran.”

Watch MTV Lebanon’s news report:

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