FPM leader Gebran Bassil at a dinner for his party, March 2, 2024. (Credit: FPM's media office)
Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil on Saturday said that he is against a "united front" against Israel, in reference to the so-called axis of resistance of which his Lebanese ally Hezbollah is part.
Hezbollah initiated attacks against Israel in support of its ally Hamas after the latter's Oct. 7 al-Aqsa flood operation against Israel. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are supported by Iran and are part of the axis of resistance, which is backed by Iran and also includes Yemen's Houthis.
In a speech during a dinner for his party, Bassil said, "We understand the danger that poses on Lebanon … we are against a united front [against Israel] and whoever rejects that or gets mad at us for this stance, so be it … and on the other hand whoever is mad at us because we support the resistance [Hezbollah] against Israel, it is also okay.
Hezbollah has been criticized by rival parties for involving Lebanon in a war with Israel by attacking against Israel in support of Hamas. Bassil, an ally of Hezbollah, has always supported their right as a resistance group to fight Israel, but the FPM leader appeared in his speech to be criticizing Hezbollah's actions in south Lebanon after Oct. 7.
Bassil went on to say, "Israel has not managed to defeat Lebanon and will not be able to, and all the threats it is making do not scare us and will not end Lebanon but will harm itself [Israel]," Bassil continues. "What ends Lebanon, however, is internal danger derived from violating the [national] pact, which is based on the partnership between Muslims and Christians."
The national pact, which was reached in 1943, is an unwritten agreement that laid the foundation of Lebanon as a multiconfessional society and is based on a partnership between Muslims and Christians.
However, Lebanon's confessional political system has failed for more than a year to fill the post of president, typically held by a Maronite Christian. Former President Michel Aoun's term ended on Oct. 31, 2022.
Bassil and his party have refused to support Hezbollah's preferred candidate for the post, Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh. Lebanon's other major Christian party, the Lebanese Forces, also opposes Frangieh's candidacy.
"The war should not be taken as an excuse to violate internal matters … whoever is keen to be victorious against the enemy should be immune from the inside before their external front," Bassil also said.
South Lebanon has been in a state of war with Israel as it exchanged daily attacks with Hezbollah following Hamas' al-Aqsa flood attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Some analysts are indicating that Hezbollah might be given internal political benefits, such as support for Frangieh becoming president, in return for concessions on the Lebanese southern front.