BEIRUT: Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel accepted Thursday an apology by Hezbollah MP Nawwaf Musawi for having insulted the young lawmaker a day earlier in Parliament.

Musawi , in a statement issued by Hezbollah’s media office, said that “in line with the values and ethics of my [Hezbollah] party, I apologize to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and fellow lawmakers for the improper word that I used yesterday.”

A quarrel broke out in Parliament Wednesday between Musawi and Gemayel as the Kataeb party lawmaker was commenting on the Cabinet’s answer to his question about “illegal” excavation and installation work in the Metn town of Tarshish, which local officials and residents say was being carried out by Hezbollah to install its private telecommunications network.

At one stage the Tyre lawmaker insulted Gemayel, saying : “My shoe is more respectful than you!”

Following the release of the apology by the Hezbollah MP, Gemayel said he hoped “this apology would be the beginning of Hezbollah’s dropping of its arrogance.”

“We dedicate this apology to all the Lebanese people and every liberal in Lebanon, because the insult was not directed at us but to the Lebanese people whom we represent,” Gemayel told a news conference in Parliament.

In Parliament Wednesday, Gemayel accused the party of using its telecommunications network, which Hezbollah claims is essential in its defense of the country against Israel, in order to monitor people who opposed the resistance group in the country.

“What is happening in Lebanon is a violation of the security of the Lebanese by a group which was not [officially] tasked with doing so,” Gemayel said.

Responding to Gemayel, Musawi said the resistance is legitimized by Cabinet, adding that the resistance would take suitable measures to protect Lebanon and its telecommunications network.

“But we want protection against the resistance which is present in the streets and everywhere,” Gemayel said, after which Musawi accused Gemayel of being “a [foreign] agent.”

“We have an honorable history,” countered Gemayel, while his colleague in the Kataeb bloc, Fadi Habr, accused Musawi of being an “Iranian agent.”

Gemayel asked Hezbollah to respect the Lebanese and “respect itself,” prompting Musawi to say: “My shoe is more respectful than you!”