Bassil eulogizes Nasrallah, says only state can protect Lebanon

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has marked 40 days since Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by publishing a eulogy and political statement in al-Akhbar newspaper.

Lamenting that he “lost a friend who will not be repeated,” Bassil noted that only ex-president, FPM founder and his father-in-law General Michel Aoun was dearer than Nasrallah to his heart.

“You wanted to avoid war and you believed in your ability to avert it through the deterrence equation, but it chased you and targeted you. You wanted to liberate Jerusalem, betting on the unity of arenas for that, but the capabilities of the Axis (of Resistance) were smaller than your will,” Bassil added, addressing Nasrallah.

“Protecting Lebanon will remain in our conscience and Israel’s occupation of it will remain impossible. But we want to be frank with you as we have always been: that can no longer be achieved without a strong and just state that can lead a defense strategy that preserves all the elements of strength,” Bassil went on to say.