The government session arranged between the government palace and Ain al-Tineh has driven a new nail into the relationship between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah. Without the latter, the session would not have occurred, nor would a single minister have attended. Hezbollah has notably rejected Bassil's stance. From his refusal to name Najib Mikati to form the government, to his conditions for its formation, to his presidential "no's." Hezbollah's presence in the government session and its endorsement send a clear message to the head of the Free Patriotic Movement: we are allies, but we are in separate parties. Furthermore, you no longer have the signature; so, compromise a little.
Hezbollah understands that the presidential vacuum is prolonged, and it is necessary to activate government work as much as possible. Thus, Monday's session will not be the last for the government. The party also realizes that its confrontation with Bassil has its benefits: it relieves them from meeting his conditions and repeatedly catering to his whims. This disagreement could lead to moving the stagnant presidential waters, either by freeing themselves from Bassil as a mandatory passage and proceeding with Sleiman Frangieh if the party succeeds in securing 65 votes for him, or by pushing the head of the Free Patriotic Movement to lower his presidential condition ceiling. However, in response to this step from Hezbollah, how will Bassil react?
It was clear that Bassil's close associates did not attack the party, indicating no intention to escalate. Only Deputy Asaad Dergham dared to direct direct accusations towards the Shiite duo. He made clear statements to MTV yesterday, noting that the media committee in the "movement" claimed in a message they distributed via WhatsApp that Dergham thought he was speaking to "Al Jadeed" and not to MTV. Does the "great" committee know that the brave deputy spoke into the station's microphone in a special interview without the presence of other microphones?
Thus, we face a scenario that has repeated several times before. Voices rise from here, demands are made to reconsider the Mar Mikhail agreement, discussions and conditions are mentioned, then the topic is closed, and the "movement" swallows the bitter pill, which it has done several times in the past, losing what it lost in the Christian street because it accepted, in its relationship with Hezbollah, to concede a little to gain a lot.
What is happening between Bassil and "the party" is, for now, not just a summer cloud. It is nothing, in a political sense, and the relationship continues as long as interests exist, unless… unless Gebran Bassil rises up.
