Jreissati Defends Bassil and Military Court Ruling on al-Hajj

State Minister for Presidency Affairs Salim Jreissati on Friday threw his support behind Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, who has been criticized by several parties in recent days.

“After the Cabinet's approval of the draft state budget, some people returned to the only refrain they're good at: Jebran Bassil, only because he is filling the political life with activeness, communicating with people on the ground and inquiring about their concerns,” Jreissati tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Beirut MP and ex-interior minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq lashed out at Bassil, accusing him of “sabotaging balance in the country.”

Mashnouq referred to remarks attributed to Bassil in which he allegedly attacks “political Sunnism” and vows to remove Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Imad Othman from his post.

Turning to the Ziad Itani-Suzanne al-Hajj case, Jreissati said “a final ruling issued by competent judicial authorities has infuriated those who have attacked the judiciary and its judges.”

On Thursday, the Military Court acquitted Internal Security Forces Lt. Col. Suzanne al-Hajj and sentenced the hacker Elie Ghabash to a year in prison on charges of fabricating electronic evidence to frame Itani in a spying for Israel case.

Several political parties have described the ruling that acquitted al-Hajj as politicized.