FPM, Hezbollah divorce unlikely as both need each other

A withdrawal from the 2006 memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah by the Free Patriotic Movement is unlikely, a senior FPM official said, noting that “there is no strategic alternative to the MoU for the 2 parties”

“ FPM’s leadership has interpreted Hassan Nasrallah’s messages in a positive way, especially that it knows his personal love for General Michel Aoun and MP (Jebran) Bassil, which was clearly exhibited during the closed-door meetings between him and them,” Al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted an FPM official as saying on Friday.

“Bassil will not leave Hezbollah but at the same time he will not blindly approve everything it does,” the official added.

Accordingly, the FPM believes that “there is a dire need for improving the MoU without any delay, and it is ready to start an instant dialogue with Hezbollah in this regard,” the official said.

“The ball is now in Hezbollah’s court and if it decides to begin dialogue, we will be ready for it within minutes,” the official added.

A major political shift

This development comes despite Bassil’s recent statements indicating that the agreement his movement has with Hezbollah is “at stake.”

“There is no value in any national understanding that contradicts a balanced partnership.” He was recently quoted as saying

But Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in his most recent speech underplayed the rift issue with FPM by saying we cannot force anyone to be our ally and called for dialogue between the 2 parties .

According to analysts both parties need each other despite the rift . Hezbollah needs a Christian cover for its activities and FPM needs Hezbollah’s support in the absence of any allies . Most of the MPs of FPM were elected because of Hezbollah’s support