The political council of the "National Free Movement" reiterated, in a statement after its regular meeting chaired by Deputy Gibran Bassil, its position supporting Lebanon's right to self-defense and the Palestinian people's right to resistance and to establish their independent state. The council called for attention to the phase following U.S. President Joe Biden's initiative regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, considering that the Israeli division over Biden's initiative and the disagreement between some members of the Israeli government and Washington increases the risks of Israel expanding the war towards the south.
The political council highlighted its support for the movement's leader working in all directions to find a solution to the presidential crisis, confirming that any delay in electing a president strengthens the trend towards chaos in light of an ongoing war in the region without any horizon and the rapid disintegration of the Lebanese state. Hence, it is essential to seize every opportunity for dialogue or consultation to push towards ending the presidential vacancy as a basis for restructuring authority.
The council emphasized the necessity of addressing the presence of Syrian refugees who are in Lebanon illegally in a manner that safeguards Lebanon's sovereign and vital interests, noting that leniency regarding this file may entrench the status quo that some countries wish to impose on Lebanon. Additionally, it regarded supporting municipalities as a duty in the effort to remove Syrians residing illegally.
