Hezbollah slams FPM's accusations as 'unwise, inappropriate'

Hezbollah on Thursday hit back at betrayal accusations by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, noting that it had not promised anyone that “the caretaker cabinet would not convene except after all its components agree on the meeting.”

“We do not want to engage in a debate with any of our friends, although a lot of what was mentioned in (ex-)Minister Bassil’s remarks requires a discussion. However, we find ourselves concerned with commenting on two issues in light of the need to clarify them to the public opinion,” Hezbollah’s media relations unit said in a statement.

“Hezbollah did not promise anyone that the caretaker cabinet would not convene except after all its components agree on the meeting for (ex-)Minister Bassil to consider that the cabinet meeting that took place was a reneging on a promise,” the statement said.

It added: “Hezbollah did not promise the FPM that it would not attend emergency cabinet sessions if the FPM’s ministers boycotted it.”

“Accordingly, the honest ones have not reneged on a promise, and (ex-)Minister Bassil might have mixed things up and wrongfully accused the honest ones with something that they have not committed,” Hezbollah went on to say, using terms that Bassil had mentioned in his latest press conference.

Moreover, the party said that giving its participation in the session political interpretations related to “pressing a political party in the presidential elections, bending anyone’s arm or targeting the Christian role are all mere illusions.”

Commenting on accusations by “some FPM circles,” Hezbollah said that “the use of the rhetoric of treachery accusations, betrayal and reneging, especially among friends, is an unwise and inappropriate behavior.”

“Our keenness on friendship and friends is what governs our reactions, especially that Lebanon today is in dire need for communication, dialogue and domestic discussions to exit the difficult crises that it is suffering from,” the party added.