Bassil Slams 'Conspiracy', Vows to Keep Backing Hizbullah, Urges Productive Govt.
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Sunday launched a counter-attack against those who hit out at the FPM in the wake of the August 4 catastrophic explosion.
“Although in 2013 we did not have direct responsibilities related to the incident, accusations and incitement have been exclusively targeted against us,” Bassil decried in a televised speech.
“Doesn’t this remind you of something? Doesn’t it remind you of 2005? Doesn’t it remind you of the incitement, spite and accusations against innocents whose innocence was proved later, of the calls for toppling the president, of the international tribunal and of the demands for instant elections?” the FPM chief asked.
He charged that parties who called after the blast for the president’s resignation and for early parliamentary elections were seeking “presidential, governmental and parliamentary vacuum; the disintegration of the state, and void and chaos.”
“Is there a bigger conspiracy?” he asked.
Turning to the ties with Hizbullah, Bassil said some criticize the FPM for maintaining its alliance with the party “although they have not exerted efforts against corruption.”
“We tell them that it’s because we have stood by them against Israel and terrorism, and even if we pay a price, it is for defending Lebanon. We defend them against the outside parties, but we’re not obliged to defend their mistakes inside the country and it is our duty to confront these mistakes like we are doing,” Bassil added.
“We did not make a mistake in standing by Hizbullah in their war against Israel and terrorism, or else we would have been slaves for religious unilateralism in the region,” the FPM chief went on to say.
Bassil also said that the FPM’s support for ex-PM Saad Hariri “in 2005 and 2017” was not a mistake.
“The least that we can do is to stand by our premier in the face of foreigners,” he added.
He charged that the FPM’s domestic rivals want to get rid of it because it is “opposed to sectarian, financial and political feudalism” and because it is their “antipode.”
“Externally, we are annoying to the countries that have schemes for Lebanon and the region,” Bassil added.
He said some want the FPM to “take part in an external and internal siege against an entire Lebanese component and not only against Hizbullah.”
“It is wrong to endorse the isolation of a Lebanese component, even if that cost us a lot,” Bassil went on to say.
As for the new cabinet, Bassil called for “a productive, effective and reformist government in its premier, members and program.”
He also noted that he is not seeking to be a minister in the new government and that the FPM does not want to take part in a government that lacks “the conditions for productivity, effectiveness and reform.”
He added: “We do not aggress against anyone, but we will not allow anyone to attack us.”
“Hear me well: do not drag us into a position that we do not want. We are upright but not weak. We are not a militia but we are the sons of the land and we know the land very well,” Bassil said, warning domestic rivals.
Source: Naharnet
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