Since the outbreak of events in Gaza on October 7, 2023, and Hezbollah's involvement in the fighting across Lebanon's southern border, the positions of the Free Patriotic Movement led by Gebran Bassil have been notable for rejecting what is known as "Unity of the Fronts" and linking Lebanon's fate to developments in Gaza. He has criticized the use of Lebanese territory as a launch point for military actions that bring the country back to the era of "Fatah Land" (the Fatah movement and Palestinian presence in Lebanon). Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun's and Bassil's remarks regarding Hezbollah's performance domestically, and the implications of dragging Lebanon into a war with Israel, have surprised Lebanese political circles and sparked discussions about the potential collapse of the alliance known as the "Maronite Agreement" (between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement), which was officially announced nearly 18 years ago on February 6, 2006.
In a special interview with "Independent Arabia," Bassil criticized Hezbollah for not adhering to many terms of the agreement, particularly regarding "building the state" internally, as well as a lack of commitment to establishing a national defense strategy that places Hezbollah's weapons under the legitimate authority of the Lebanese state. He criticized Hezbollah's regional role, particularly its support for the Houthis in Yemen and the threats to the security of Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries. He stated, "We understood the justifications for the party's involvement in Syria near the Lebanese-Syrian border to protect the country from the dangers of terrorism and ISIS, but that does not mean we should support reaching Yemen and intervening in Gulf states' affairs."
### Arab Relations
Bassil emphasized the importance of restoring Lebanon's best relations with Arab countries, particularly the Gulf states that have often supported Lebanon. He expressed his support for the Gulf approach toward Lebanon, especially in terms of supporting the Lebanese in their attempt to elect a president with a reformist and rescue program that is not embroiled in financial and political corruption. He added, “Saudi Arabia supports the qualifications for a reformist president without intervention or imposing names.” He stressed the necessity of opening up to the Arab world and reassessing past mistakes regarding Arab countries, expressing a desire for special and developed relations with Saudi Arabia and all Gulf states, especially since a large segment of Lebanese live there, highlighting the importance of returning Gulf investments to Lebanon to help revive its economy.
Bassil stated, “Our interest lies in democracy and urban and economic development, which benefits Lebanese in the Gulf as well as in Lebanon. There are good intentions towards Saudi Arabia, and we hope these will translate into building a genuine friendship,” praising the significant progress in Saudi Arabia on various economic, social, and regional and international political levels, strengthened by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030.
He clarified that the Free Patriotic Movement has presented political positions that it is required to take against Israel and has never covered Hezbollah's failure to build the state. He noted, “Sometimes we are seen as being against the Gulf states since we take positions that are deemed biased towards the party while we implement the policy of the government as a whole, which is based on neutrality,” revealing that during his tenure at the foreign ministry, there was never a position in support of the Houthis, nor did he ever cover the aggression against Arab countries or intervene in their internal affairs.
### Jihad Azour's Candidacy
Regarding the Lebanese presidential file, Bassil confirmed that the Free Patriotic Movement remains committed to its position of "convergence" with the opposition for the candidacy of former Minister Jihad Azour for the presidency, clarifying that Azour is a suitable candidate who meets the specifications required for the presidential position, particularly as outlined by the “Five-Party Committee.” However, he noted that this does not mean there are no other suitable candidates, emphasizing the need to agree on a candidate who has sufficient local and Arab support to be able to revive the state after its collapse and protect Lebanon.
### Protecting Lebanon
Meanwhile, Bassil confirmed that the Free Patriotic Movement's position regarding its relationship with Hezbollah remains consistent since the announcement of the "Document of Understanding" in 2006, aimed at "protecting Lebanon" through a national defense strategy agreed upon by the Lebanese. He emphasized that, despite their rejection of the unity of the fronts and tying Lebanon's fate to Gaza, if Israel were to attack Lebanon, they would naturally stand by Hezbollah to defend Lebanon. He added, “The document of understanding addressed the defense of Lebanon, but it did not discuss the liberation of Palestine, which is primarily the responsibility of the Palestinians on their land, not from our territory. We can support this cause politically and in the media, but liberating Palestine is not our responsibility.”
Bassil indicated that Hezbollah remains steadfast in its refusal to ceasefire in Lebanon until a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza, asserting that one of the goals of the agreement is also to maintain Lebanon's unity, believing that despite occasional differences, the understanding among Lebanese should not die. He pointed out that the Free Patriotic Movement supports Hezbollah in defending Lebanon but does not do so to fight wars for others, stating, "Lebanon’s institutions have disintegrated, its economy has collapsed, and it does not have the means to initiate a war against Israel. Therefore, when Hezbollah’s goal becomes liberating Jerusalem, we cannot support that. The Mar Mikhael Agreement stipulated the protection of Lebanon only and maintaining national unity through respecting the balanced and reciprocal partnership among the components of the nation."
### War with Israel
The head of the Free Patriotic Movement sees a significant crisis threatening Lebanon's existence, as internal economic crises coincide with the dangers posed by the Syrian refugees and the dissolution of the state. The most alarming of all is the war raging on Lebanon's borders between Hezbollah and Israel, with the risks of its expansion across all Lebanese territories being worrisome. He believes that Hezbollah is avoiding slipping into a full-scale war and is trying to keep it within acceptable limits, while the United States is also attempting to contain the situation due to the dangerous repercussions it could have on the region. He considers that evading the dangers of expanding the war lies within the Israeli arena, which seeks to secure victories amid the predicament faced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bassil asserted that there is currently no alternative to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which must be fully implemented, especially by Israel, not just by the Lebanese side, referencing the thousands of violations carried out by Tel Aviv over the years.
### Lebanon's Existence is Threatened
Bassil stated, "Lebanon's existence is threatened because the partnership itself is threatened," considering that caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri "condense the constitution and act as if there is no role for the president." He revealed that he would soon announce steps to confront this danger. He added, "The others are all spectators, but we are facing this, while they want us to forget that there is an infringement on the constitution and the charter by attempting to portray the matter as a struggle over shares." He believes that the national partnership upon which Lebanon was established is facing a systematic destruction of the charter and constitution, through exploiting the lethal vacuum in the presidency and the government’s overstepping of red lines regarding its powers, thus dominating the president's powers, particularly with events like appointing a first-class employee in the absence of a president without a proposal from the minister or his signature on the decree.
He confirmed that the Free Patriotic Movement and the "Strong Lebanon Bloc" (the Movement's parliamentary deputies) will take every possible move at the media, political, popular, and judicial levels to stop such decisions and challenge them before the State Council, and submit an accusatory petition to the Parliament against the Prime Minister who proposed the appointment.
### The Deep "System"
Bassil continuously echoed positions criticizing the "ruling system." When asked if everyone claims to be outside the system, who is within it, he responded that "the system is a lobby of security, economic, and political interests that governs the course of affairs for some political powers, leading to exacerbated crises in the country and hampering reforms, obstructing institutional and constitutional work."
Regarding whether he is part of that "system," given that he has been a key partner in successive governments and the prevailing system of sectarian quotas in the country, alongside former President Michel Aoun's presidency, he considered that all political forces in the country, including opposition forces, have occasionally converged with the "system" on certain interests and have sometimes covered its actions. He clarified that "this does not mean that we, as the Free Patriotic Movement, are part of it. The same applies to other forces that have also been partners in governments, such as the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party, among others."
