Bassil Defends 'Racism' Remarks after Criticism Storm

Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Monday defended recent remarks he has voiced about foreign workers.

“Our remarks are being distorted everyday and it is our duty to achieve Lebanon’s remarks and to correct any distortion,” Bassil said.

“It is the duty of every nation to give the employment priority to its citizens and this is what all countries are doing, unlike Lebanon,” he added.

“The Lebanese are working abroad according to the needs of the countries and they respect the laws of these countries. We call for implementing the law against anyone who violates the laws of these countries, topped by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where we have a community whose interests we should preserve, but it is the community’s duty and our duty to respect the state in which they work in,” Bassil went on to say.

He had on Saturday announced that “it is normal for us to defend Lebanese labor in the face of any other labor, be it Syrian, Palestinian, French, Saudi, Iranian or American.”

“The Lebanese citizen comes before anyone else,” he added, noting that some are accusing him of racism because “their Lebanese belonging is not strong enough.”

On Monday, he underscored that “when you defend the right of your people you are patriotic and not racist.”

“All countries, including Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, give advantage to their people over others though laws, and this is not racism,” he underlined.

“A lot of those who excel in sabotaging ties and those who have bad intentions are distorting the words or the meaning,” Bassil lamented.