Bassil: We Don't Need Permission to Visit Our Regions and People

Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil on Tuesday defended his latest tour of the Aley district, stressing that he does not a “permission” from any party to go to any Lebanese region.

“What happened in Qabrshmoun is rejected and we have a responsibility to contain what happened and no one wants strife,” Bassil said after the weekly meeting of the Strong Lebanon bloc, referring to an armed clash involving the convoy of State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib which resulted in the death of two bodyguards and the injury of two people.

“The incident reminds us of a tragic era and harms the image of the state,” Bassil added.

“I've been touring all Lebanese regions without exception... The FPM is present in all regions and religious communities and it is normal to visit supporters during any tour,” he said.

Supporters of the Progressive Socialist Party had blocked roads during Bassil's Aley visit on Sunday to prevent him from touring the region prior to the deadly incident with Gharib's convoy in the afternoon.

“The tours should not annoy anyone seeing as we are voicing remarks about openness,” Bassil said.

“Aley and Chouf are dear regions... We see all Lebanese as equal,” he stressed.

Noting that his speeches in Kahale and Sofar did not include any provocation, Bassil added: “We do not want to eliminate anyone and we do not have the ability to do so.”

“We cannot give up the freedom of movement, expression and belief and we do not need a permission from anyone to visit our regions and people,” he underscored.

“We want a deep reconciliation” between Druze and Christians in Chouf and Aley, he added, emphasizing that “the attempt to entangle us in a Christian-Druze strife will not succeed.”

“We will seek an inter-Druze reconciliation,” Bassil revealed.

Asked about the deadly Qabrshmoun incident, the FPM chief said “no one doubts that what happened was premeditated.”

“Some might consider our win of four parliamentary seats in Mount Lebanon as an attack on him, but in politics we are not attacking anyone. Is it required to eliminate ourselves and our people? Is it a problem that a Movement has the ability to bring together all sects among its ranks? Is it required to have sectarian cantons and protectorates?” Bassil said.

Reassuring that the FPM “will not fall into an ambush or a strife,” Bassil told reporters that “Christians do not know how to live without the Druze in Mount Lebanon.”

“We have built firm understandings in this country and they will not manage to break them, neither with gunfire nor with words,” he added.