Bassil: Abolition of political sectarianism is an elimination of Lebanon's Christians

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has noted that the FPM supports the abolition of sectarianism, “but not political sectarianism alone.”

“We are seculars, so come to comprehensive secularism! As for your selectivity in abolishing sectarianism in politics and leaving it in all other aspects of life, we will reject that,” Bassil added, in a speech at the FPM’s annual convention.

“This is not an abolition of political sectarianism, but rather an elimination of the Christian community in Lebanon, and we will confront it, the same as we confront any attempt to eliminate any other component in the country,” Bassil went on to say.

Warning against “tampering with the components, constitution, National Pact and raison d'être of this country,” Bassil warned that the FPM is willing to stage a “revolution” to prevent such an attempt.

“Harming balanced representation in the country and in the electoral law is not acceptable, and the attempt to approve two preferential votes (in the electoral law) to favor a numerical majority over a numerical minority is rejected,” the FPM chief warned.

As for the thorny issue of Hezbollah’s arms, Bassil called for addressing the matter in a “sovereign and responsible manner,” saying the state “should benefit from these arms so that it be able to defend Lebanon and protect it through a decision of war and peace that it possesses.”

“We oppose removing weapons through a civil war instead of an agreement, even if it is imposed, and we oppose an imposed normalization (with Israel) without rights, instead of it being a just peace with rights,” Bassil added.