Gebran Bassil, surrounded by MPs Mohammad Khawaja and Nabil Badr, during a conference at the Phoenicia, on July 30, 2026. (Photo: CPL)
On Thursday, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) organized a conference in Beirut on the "Protection of Lebanon," during which participants from different backgrounds adopted a series of recommendations in favor of a "strong state" and against any "internal discord." But differences over Hezbollah and its arsenal quickly resurfaced. Still, this ambitious meeting hinted at an attempt by the FPM to reposition itself politically, aiming to compete with the Lebanese Forces.Through this conference, FPM leader Gebran Bassil is trying to position himself, during this period of intense polarization, between the pro-Iranian camp and the "sovereigntist" camp. "The common ground we have reached is significant. We had no other goal than to create a round table for managing our differences and, above all, to...
On Thursday, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) organized a conference in Beirut on the "Protection of Lebanon," during which participants from different backgrounds adopted a series of recommendations in favor of a "strong state" and against any "internal discord." But differences over Hezbollah and its arsenal quickly resurfaced. Still, this ambitious meeting hinted at an attempt by the FPM to reposition itself politically, aiming to compete with the Lebanese Forces.Through this conference, FPM leader Gebran Bassil is trying to position himself, during this period of intense polarization, between the pro-Iranian camp and the "sovereigntist" camp. "The common ground we have reached is significant. We had no other goal than to create a round table for managing our differences and, above all,...
