Rouad Nassar has called for Israel to remain in Lebanon until Hezbollah surrenders its weapons and expressed support for visits to Tel Aviv.
Rouad Nassar has made a series of statements expressing support for Israel and calling for changes to Lebanese law and policy toward the Jewish state. Speaking to the outlet Spot Shot, Nassar said he wished to visit Tel Aviv and drink whisky there, describing Israel as a civilised and great power. He characterised Israel's presence in Lebanon as legitimate and expressed the view that it should remain until Hezbollah disarms.
Nassar called on 22 Muslim-majority countries to find a homeland for Jews on their territory, arguing that Jews have a right to the land of Israel. He also suggested that the Lebanese Forces party had failed those who were deported to Israel, calling the deportees heroes whose contribution to Lebanon preceded that of Christians.
On the question of former central bank governor Riad Salameh, Nassar said Salameh had been wronged and that Christians should refuse his arrest and block roads with burning tyres in protest. He also praised Anton Sahhnawi as a hero, described his actions as ordinary, and called for the repeal of laws that criminalise contact with Israelis.
The statements represent a rare public expression of pro-Israel sentiment from a Lebanese Christian political figure at a time when official Lebanese policy treats Israel as an occupying power. The remarks touch on several contentious issues in Lebanese politics: the presence of Israeli forces in the south, Hezbollah's military arsenal, the legal status of those accused of collaboration with Israel, and the case of the former central bank governor.
Nassar's position on Hezbollah's weapons differs sharply from the official Lebanese government stance, which has sought to balance the reality of Hezbollah's presence with international pressure for disarmament. His call for Israel to remain in Lebanon until that disarmament occurs inverts the typical Lebanese demand for Israeli withdrawal, which has been a consistent feature of Lebanese political discourse since 1982.
On Salameh, Nassar's call for Christian rejection of his arrest stands in contrast to efforts by the Lebanese judiciary and financial authorities to investigate allegations against the former governor. Salameh has faced accusations of mismanagement and other financial crimes during his tenure at the central bank.
The repeal of laws criminalising contact with Israelis would represent a fundamental shift in Lebanese legal policy. Such contact has long been treated as a security matter under Lebanese law, and any change would require legislative action and broad political consensus.
Nassar's remarks on the deportees to Israel reference a historical episode in Lebanese politics but his framing of them as heroes and as having made a contribution exceeding that of Christians departs from mainstream Christian political discourse in Lebanon. The statements suggest a willingness to revisit settled questions in Lebanese national consensus.
The full implications of Nassar's positions depend on the extent to which they represent a broader shift in Lebanese Christian political thinking or remain isolated to his own views. His call for legislative change on Israel contact, support for Salameh's release, and endorsement of Hezbollah disarmament as a condition for Israeli withdrawal each involve separate political processes and constituencies. No indication has been given of legislative action or broader party adoption of these positions.
