Bassil Says 'Strong Flank' Lebanon Prevented 'Syria's Fall'
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil announced Monday that Lebanon “prevented the fall” of Syria, which has been witnessing a bloody conflict since around four years, as he stressed that Damascus must not interfere in the Lebanese affairs.
“It is our duty not to betray or stab Syria, because no matter how much circumstances change, Syria will remain our close neighbor, seeing as we have the scourge of Israel on the other side of the border,” said Bassil in a speech before Lebanese expats at the Arab Social Club in the Venezuelan city of Maturin.
“We don't have much choices, we're obliged to be like this,” the minister, who was wrapping up a Latin America tour, added.
Lebanon's Hizbullah has been fighting alongside the embattled Syrian regime for around two years now against armed opposition groups and jihadist militants. It is currently engaged in a key battle in the triangle of territory linking Daraa, Quneitra and the southwest of Damascus provinces.
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has several times announced that his group will not allow “Syria's fall,” describing its regime as a key backer of the party's resistance against Israel.
Bassil added: “We're obliged to think this way, so that Syria does not ... return to thinking of us in this manner and so that it doesn't think of entering our country again to protect its perceived weak flank.”
“No, Lebanon is Syria's strong flank, and we prevented Syria's fall,” the minister went on to say.
However he noted that the Lebanese must not interfere in Syria's affairs “the same as we don't want Syria to meddle in our affairs.”
Bassil also warned that “the waves of evil, terrorism and takfirism are enormous and we won't be able to face them if we are not united.”
Y.R.
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