The leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, presents his condolences to the commander of the army, Joseph Aoun, following the death of his mother on Jan. 8, 2024. (Photo taken from the army's Facebook page)
This week, a delegation from the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is expected to meet with the Lebanese Army’s commander-in-chief, Joseph Aoun, to discuss concerns about Lebanon’s internal security. The news of this possible rendezvous has caught the attention of observers — Aoun has long been a political adversary of FPM leader Gebran Bassil, who views the army chief as a serious presidential contender capable of appealing to his own support base.The visit could signal a possible effort to reach out to Aoun, whose already-extended mandate expired at the end of 2023 and was extended again until January 2025, despite the FPM’s opposition. The party’s officials, however, frame the visit as a necessary step, amid a war, to engage with the military’s leadership.“Whether we like it or not, General Joseph Aoun is currently the army commander,”...
This week, a delegation from the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is expected to meet with the Lebanese Army’s commander-in-chief, Joseph Aoun, to discuss concerns about Lebanon’s internal security. The news of this possible rendezvous has caught the attention of observers — Aoun has long been a political adversary of FPM leader Gebran Bassil, who views the army chief as a serious presidential contender capable of appealing to his own support base.The visit could signal a possible effort to reach out to Aoun, whose already-extended mandate expired at the end of 2023 and was extended again until January 2025, despite the FPM’s opposition. The party’s officials, however, frame the visit as a necessary step, amid a war, to engage with the military’s leadership.“Whether we like it or not, General Joseph Aoun is currently the army...
'American sponsorship is a guarantee,' says Lebanese-American coordination committee