Bassil: Israel has the right to security | Middle East

The head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Representative Gebran Bassil, believed that the US sanctions against him were politically motivated by his alliance with Hezbollah, and that he refused to break the alliance with him in exchange for the cancellation of the sanctions, by while he denied the accusation of corruption against him. He sent a series of internal and external messages, including that he would not abandon his alliance with “Hezbollah” to avoid the “isolation” of a Lebanese component, but acknowledged the differences with the party on internal files and on the perception of Israel, reiterating his position that “Israel has a right to security.” .
In a lengthy press conference two days after the US sanctions against him, Bassil said yesterday (Sunday) that “the sanctions talks began in earnest in the summer of 2018, during the formation of Prime Minister Saad’s second government. Hariri, in which I was a minister due to Hariri’s own insistence. ” “At that time, a knowledgeable person came to tell me that it is necessary to be chancellor, because the diplomatic immunity of the site prevents the imposition of sanctions.”
Bassil referred to the path of the imposition of sanctions in the last two weeks, revealing that he had been informed by the President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, that a senior American official had contacted him and asked him to dismantle immediately the relationship of the “Free Patriotic Movement” with “Hezbollah”, and to promptly inform him of the matter.
Bassil added: “On the second day, I told the US ambassador directly that four demands had to be met immediately. Otherwise, US sanctions will be imposed on me after 4 days, that is, on October 25.” As for the demands, they are: Immediately dismantle the relationship with (Hezbollah), and three other points ”, indicating that“ in the demands, and in the entire discussion, there is no word on corruption ”.
He stressed that “after that, he had interfered with me to convince me that the goal of the Americans was not to impose sanctions on me, but to polarize me to be a partner and friend, and the proof that others were not warned, while they wanted to give me the opportunity to save me because they love me, and on various levels we hear people speak of not being. We want to lose our relationship with Basil. “
Bassil continued: “October 25 passed, and I was waiting for the sanctions to be issued that day, but then the Americans decided to give a second deadline to November 4, that is, the second day of the American elections, and they abandoned the Articles 2, 3 and 4. They limited their demand to announce the severance of the relationship with (Hezbollah), but on a second basis, which is the carrot and stick. They visited me in long meetings and presented me with what they considered temptations enough, of stardom in Lebanon and America, and a personal political gain for me and the movement, and the situation did not work out.
He pointed out that “after that a long meeting was held on November 4, that is, on Wednesday, and they gave me 24 hours to change my mind, and think about what they offered me in my interest and in the interest of the Lebanon, and they warned me of the consequences if the sanctions followed ”, noting that the Americans“ only told me about (Hezbollah).
And considering that the current US administration “committed a crime against me,” he expressed his determination, together with the new administration, to “work on developing relationships with it.” Bassil said: “If you want to fight corruption, stop supporting your group that prohibits criminal scrutiny and provide Lebanon with all financial transfers to smuggle looted and transferred funds.” He said he will work to assign a law firm to annul the decision “for losing the legal basis and seeking moral and material compensation.”
Bassil asked: “Where is the interest of the United States in attacking and trying to destroy the party and largest bloc of its Christian character in Lebanon and in the East?” And “Where is the interest of the United States in attacking the Lebanese component that refuses to go only to the East and wants to keep Lebanon as a link between East and West?” He said: “This is not the interest of the United States. This is the interest of Israel in hitting the Christians in Lebanon.”
He said: “Weakening the movement to remove the cover of the party will not weaken the party, it will isolate it and force it to defend itself, and it will win.” There will be a sedition project and an internal war in Lebanon between Shiites and Sunnis, and whoever Christians ask to plot and participate in it, Christians will pay the highest price through mass immigration. He believed that “isolating Hezbollah” is “a recipe for war, and we and Lebanon are its first victims, and you want me to follow it?” The price is too small to avoid it, and I pay it whenever it is a penalty for me, this is the cheapest! “
Regarding his relationship with “Hezbollah”, Basilio said: “We do not challenge any ally, friend, or anyone that we have understood with him in favor of anyone inside.” And he added: “We did not leave under external pressure. If we want to leave, for internal reasons related to us and in the interest of the country.” Noting, “We recently agreed to conduct a review and reconsideration of the Memorandum of Understanding (with Hezbollah) in order to develop it to offer something to our audience and to the people who see the good for the country.” He said: “We do not agree with (Hezbollah) on fundamental and ideological issues, such as peace in the region and the existence of Israel,” adding: “Lebanon wants peace, not war.” Peace is based on Arab initiative and mutual rights: Arabs have the right to the land, Palestine has the right to the state and Israel has the right to security (this is 1701, and this is what we have been living on the borders since 2006). This is a huge disagreement, in which his fans attack me on social media! “
He stressed that he is not a “terrorist, and there is nothing in the history of the (movement) except fighting terrorism”, adding: “I am not corrupt, nor is there a single dollar in commission or bribery in my history.” All the corrupt? “As he said:” I am not a war criminal like other people, and I have not caused the death of a single person or the waste of a drop of blood. “
In the government file, he said: “The sanctions should be a reason to accelerate the formation of the government.” Despite his assertion, “we did not set conditions, we did not stick to a bag, and we even left our participation in the government or not, and the form of participation is open.” And it seemed that he was hardening his position by saying: “What we have asked is the adoption of unique standards for authorship in order to speed up, because otherwise it delays and obstructs, and this is what experience has taught us.” Government portfolios.