The leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil (in the center), at the Baabda presidential palace, March 26, 2026. (Credit: Photo taken from the X account of the presidency)
The leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, announced on Thursday from Baabda, following his meeting with President Joseph Aoun, that he had presented him with “a proposal to protect Lebanon through dialogue among the Lebanese, and not confrontation.” The war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army has been ongoing since March 2, and tensions are palpable in the country, with more than one million internally displaced and divisive political issues on the agenda, such as the disarmament of Hezbollah and the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador.
Addressing “a great danger threatening Lebanon, from both inside and outside,” Bassil said he had started a tour of Lebanese officials, beginning with the head of state. He emphasized that this proposal includes “Lebanon’s neutrality” in the face of conflicts as well as “the adoption of a national defense strategy to which the government is committed, in pursuit of a just peace guaranteeing all the rights of the Lebanese.” He added that this initiative aims to “bring the Lebanese together at a dialogue table” and that it constitutes “a national responsibility under the sponsorship of the president of the republic.” Finally, Bassil insisted on his support “for the presidency of the republic and for legitimacy,” even as he is “in opposition,” saying that the protection of the presidential office and the state remains “a national priority.”
This initiative revolves around three main ideas. The first is an “internal code of conduct” based on the “rejection of violence and media and political incitement,” as well as “respect for the state framework as a common reference, particularly in case of conflict, with an affirmed commitment to Lebanon’s unity across its entire territory and the rejection of any discourse that could fuel internal divisions.” The second is based on the collective rejection by the Lebanese of any internal discord, Israeli occupation, and any foreign interference in Lebanese affairs. Finally, the third proposes a solution based on the exclusivity of arms in the hands of the Lebanese army and the state, as well as a total Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Lebanon entered into armed conflict after Hezbollah opened a front with Iran on March 2, following the start of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on Feb. 28. Since the beginning of this new war in Lebanon, more than a million people have been displaced from targeted areas, and over a thousand civilian deaths have already been recorded by the Ministry of Health. Since Hezbollah opened this new front, and its military and security activities were declared “illegal” by the government on March 2, divisions on the local scene have reached their peak, not only between political parties but also on social networks and in the media.
