FPM calls on government 'to define means to face' Israeli occupation

The Free Patriotic Movement, led by MP Gebran Bassil, on Tuesday, urged the government “to define the means to confront the occupation,” as Israeli forces remained in five positions in southern Lebanon despite the deadline for their withdrawal.

Following a meeting of its political committee, the party stressed that the “total withdrawal of the Israeli army from Lebanese land has not been achieved.” Earlier, President Joseph Aoun announced that Beirut was in contact with Washington and Paris to push for Israel’s complete withdrawal.

Israel announced Monday that it planned to “temporarily keep a limited number of soldiers deployed in five strategic positions along the Lebanese border.” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that troops would remain at these five checkpoints. The U.N. warned Tuesday that any delay in Israel’s withdrawal would violate Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and serves as the foundation of the current cease-fire agreement.

The FPM also said it had reviewed the new government’s ministerial statement, adding that Bassil would present his parliamentary bloc’s position during the confidence vote session for Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri scheduled a plenary session for Tuesday, Feb. 25, and Wednesday, Feb. 26, to hold the vote. Based on the ministerial statement, unveiled Monday, Parliament will decide whether to grant confidence to the new Cabinet, which must secure a majority of votes from the 128 MPs.