File photo: Free Patriotic Movement chief Gebran Bassil (R) , with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah at an undisclosed location. Bassil, who is according to analysts the most despised politician in Lebanon, aspired to replace his father-in-law Michel Aoun as the president when his term expired in October 2022 and has been lobbying for Hezbollah support as Aoun did before him, but Hezbollah decided to support Suleiman Franjieh instead, a move that caused a rift between the 2 parties. Franjieh later resigned his candidacy in favor of President Joseph Aoun who was elected earlier this year
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has criticized Hezbollah in a video that has circulated on social media websites.
“We did not want the war (with Israel) and we warned against it, but they did not listen to us, because they are linked to a foreign government and they don’t listen to local parties,” Bassil says in the video in a speech before supporters.
He was referring to Iran as the country that has been arming, training, managing, and funding its proxy Hezbollah.
“They (Hezbollah) endorsed a foreign project that destroyed them, destroyed the country, and destroyed us all,” Bassil stressed.
Bassil and his father-in-law former president Michel Aoun provided the Christian cover to Hezbollah ever since February 2006 when they signed a collaboration agreement with Hezbollah.
A few months after they signed the deal Hezbollah initiated its 2006 war with Israel which destroyed Lebanon’s infrastructure and killed over 1200 Lebanese, mainly civilians. The war resulted in over $15 billion in damages. Hezbollah’s leader admitted after the war ended that he miscalculated.
If it wasn’t for Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who paid for the reconstruction of Hezbollah’s stronghold in south Lebanon the majority of the Shiite community would have still been displaced and homeless.
In 2020 the port of Beirut exploded when 2750 tons of explosive chemicals that Hezbollah stored at the port for use by its ally the Syrian regime of Bashar al Assad exploded. Former president Michal Aoun , Hezbollah’s main Christan ally and Hezbollah refused to allow for an International investigation of the explosion. Aoun promised that within one week he would be able to identify and try the perpetrators. Until this day no one has been tried even though they were all identified by name and all are Hezbollah allies
Similarly, the war that Hezbollah initiated against Israel in 2023 devastated the Shiite community which Hezbollah is supposed to protect . This war proved again that Hezbollah is not up to the task of fighting the modern and well-armed Israeli forces and is not capable of defending itself or Lebanon.
All of Hezbollah’s top leadership was eliminated by Israel including its leader Hassan Nasrallah and his cousin and heir apparent Hashem Safieddine
Ali Hussein a prominent Lebanese political analyst commented on Bassil ‘s statement by saying: “Finally he woke up to reality, but it is too little too late . Lebanon paid a very high price for his ignorance and his father-in-law’s miscalculations. Most of Bassil’s MPs were elected because of Hezbollah’s help