Bassil blasts Hezbollah treason accusations. Threatens action against FPM MPs that won’t vote for Azour

FPM leader Gebran Bassil rejected Hezbollah treason accusations and said I am pretty sure Hezbollah leader does not approve the accusations against me

He announced that “the decision to nominate ( former minister and top IMF official Jihad ) Azour was taken by the movement , by its president and its political council, and there was a broad and unanimous agreement within the movement, and therefore adherence to the decision became obligatory on the part of any representative in the movement, and many times I adhered to the decisions of the movement even when I was not convinced of them.”

Bassil warned that whoever does not abide by the movement’s decision will have deviated from its unity, strength, and prestige, . This will weaken FM and its position

He warned the FPM MPS : “Non-compliance will lead to some actions.” He did not reveal what actions he had in mind

Bassil called on “the so called Shiite duo ( Hezbollah and Amal ) to stop the use of any threatening language and to stop interfering in FPM’s internal affairs, because that contradicts moral norms, and we consider that we are still friends with the Shiite duo,” stressing openness to dialogue before, during and after the election session.

Bassil comments come a day after his father-in-law, former president Michel Aoun also blasted Hezbollah over “treason accusations and threats through the media ”

“I have not said anything against them. Should my reward be treason accusations and threats through newspapers?” Aoun asked.

Is it reasonable to be accused of treason because we have merely rejected a candidate?” the ex-president wondered.

Aoun stressed that “our system is democratic and our constitution protects freedom of opinion”.

“Accordingly, every political party has the right to have a presidential candidate, without that drawing a rhetoric of treason accusations and threats of biblical proportions,” Aoun tweeted.

“Respecting the other and their rights is part of the foundations of national unity and coexistence,” he added.

“Those who want the country must respect these principles,” the former president stressed.