Member of the "Strong Republic" bloc, MP George Akkis, condemned MP Jebran Bassil's statements and questioned the reforms Bassil implemented during his tenure in successive governments.
The National News Agency reported earlier about a tweet from Akkis that sarcastically mentioned the rights of Christians, which he claimed have been squandered by the Free Patriotic Movement. He wrote: "Bassil and the rights of Christians: The Free Patriotic Movement has a distinguished history in preserving the rights of Christians, starting with liberating the state from the militia's weapons specifically among Christians, and then stopping there, after costing the Christian community thousands of deaths and imposing the Taif settlement on them."
Akkis considered that Bassil attacked all Lebanese people in his press conference, particularly Christians and their parties, noting that he has shown affection only to two parties: Hezbollah and Bashar al-Assad. Akkis pointed out Bassil's claim that the rights of Christians can only be secured through an alliance with these parties, sending this message to Christians.
He also criticized Bassil for not mentioning Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi in his speech, stating: "The Maronite patriarchate, which was behind the birth of Greater Lebanon in 1920 and behind the second independence in 2005, for example, is not under Bassil and his uncle in a position deserving of attention when discussing Christian rights."
In response to Bassil's statement that reform should be given for government participation, Akkis questioned: "You had the governments for a long time, what did you reform?" He concluded by stating, "I am a deputy for the Lebanese Forces, and the Christians I represent are looking for a state, for institutions, for a future, not for shares and bravado in a state of nothingness, collapse, isolation from the world, and alignment with the resistance axis."
Earlier, the head of the "Free Patriotic Movement," MP Jebran Bassil, had stated in a televised speech, "Give us reform and take the government, and oh Lebanese judiciary, remove the cup of international justice. They want us to participate in the government against our will and under unacceptable conditions, otherwise they accuse us of obstruction."
