Gebran Bassil addresses political rift with Hezbollah

Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, reflected on the political relationship between his party and Hezbollah on the second anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

Writing in Al-Akhbar, Bassil addressed the 20-year-old understanding between the two parties, stating that the goal was to protect Lebanese sovereignty and national unity without risking civil war. He emphasized that the resistance should exist within the framework of the state rather than acting as a substitute for it.

Bassil noted a growing divergence in priorities between the two groups. He asserted that the Free Patriotic Movement prioritizes the state, whereas Hezbollah prioritizes the resistance and its weaponry. He recalled a 2022 meeting with Nasrallah regarding the presidency, where Bassil questioned how the survival of Lebanon could be guaranteed.