Bassil to Hezbollah: We're with defense strategy, not offense strategy

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has continued his criticism of Hezbollah over the conflict in south Lebanon, stressing that “Lebanon alone cannot liberate Palestine.”

“We are going through a difficult phase and we are being asked about the relation with Hezbollah. We stand by Hezbollah when it defends Lebanon and when Israel attacks us, but we do not stand by them when they start a war against Israel. These two things are different,” Bassil said, during a dinner banquet organized by the FPM’s Chouf department.

“We are with a defense strategy, not with an offense strategy. This does not mean that we want Israel to win, but Lebanon alone cannot wage war on Israel or liberate Palestine,” Bassil added.

He explained: “There is no contradiction between our stance on the war in 2006 and our stance today. Back then we were in a self-defense situation and despite all the destruction we managed to win because Israel failed to occupy us anew. But today what is the war’s goal? Assistance? Gaza has already been destroyed!”

“The assistance war broke out and Lebanon got implicated in an open war that will not end soon,” Bassil added, lamenting that “Lebanon is on the frontline in it instead of its economy being protected and without having a president.”

“How can we go to negotiations without the presence of a president and a government?” Bassil wondered.