Amid Hezbollah's shock, tinged with anger towards MP Gebran Bassil—an anger that is not yet publicly acknowledged due to his presidential performance—there is a continued closing off of paths for former Minister Suleiman Frangieh to reach the Baabda Palace. This situation is expected to negatively impact the bilateral relations between the party and the Free Patriotic Movement, especially after Bassil has raised the stakes in his positions, asserting the impossibility of bypassing the Free Patriotic Movement in the presidential election, as this would utterly lack "Christian constitutional legitimacy."
In this context, it appears that Bassil is betting on the Lebanese Forces party, which has a significant Christian parliamentary bloc, to side with him in hopes of changing the established equations, given that the Forces do not want Frangieh as president under any circumstances. He seeks a political avenue that would allow him to break the party's decision to elect Frangieh no matter the label or situation, and to not comply at all with the wishes of the party or President Nabih Berri, forcing him into difficult choices that the head of the "Movement" rejects.
In light of this bleak scenario, former Minister Wiam Wahhab translated the party's anger towards Bassil when he directly revealed the meeting between Hezbollah's security and coordination official, Haj Wafiq Safa, and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun last Wednesday in Yarzeh. He regarded the nature of the meeting as political rather than security-related, which political circles interpreted as a deliberate message from the party to halt the "Don Quixotic" battles waged by its orange ally, implying either the option of Frangieh or General Aoun as president. This message aims to put an end to Bassil's conditions and to release his "presidential bombs" in every capital city around the world.
According to these same circles, this message greatly unsettled Bassil, indicating that the party's position is based on events and data, reflecting seriousness rather than mere statements or leaks. Additionally, the party's message communicates a precise notion, endorsing the selection and nomination of the Army Commander for the presidency. This move is also supported by the constitutional legitimacy of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. Moreover, indications suggest that the party is in complete coordination, with visits to Yarzeh remaining uninterrupted and potentially intensifying in the coming phases. The party can secure a guarantee from General Aoun and will not be adversely affected at all by bringing him to the Baabda Palace.
