Why confrontation with Hezbollah remains out of question for Bassil

Hezbollah’s weapons “have lost their deterrent function” and must be handed over to the state… but the Cabinet’s decision to remove them is a “disgrace,” even an “act of submission,” said Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Gebran Bassil in a press conference on Tuesday. After initially denouncing last week’s government decisions on the state’s arms monopoly, drawing a wave of criticism, Bassil sought to adjust his position during this press conference. Instead of defusing the attacks, however, he sparked a new wave, this time from circles close to the party.Caught between missing the train, at a time when Christian public opinion is increasingly opposed to Hezbollah’s arsenal, and severing ties with his former ally, the head of the FPM is struggling to strike the right balance. Context Bassil: Hezbollah's weapons have lost their...