Bassil Criticizes Geagea, Says Maalula Attack Part of Plot to Displace Levant Christians
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Caretaker Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil on Sunday warned that the rebel assault on the Syrian Christian town of Maalula was a “serious signal that the plot to displace Christians from the Levant has started.”
“The West's stance can be best summed up by what former French president Nicolas Sarkozy had told (Maronite) Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in 2011, when he said that Christians have no place in the Levant, especially in Lebanon and Syria, and by what we heard from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry two days ago when he said that there is no need to protect minorities,” Bassil said at a press conference he held at his Batroun residence.
“In contrast, there are the stances of the BRICS and Russia, which has defended Christians and the church's stance,” Bassil added.
The minister criticized some Lebanese politicians and media outlets for claiming that “nothing is happening” in Maalula. “What must happen so that they believe these incidents are taking place? Should they take place in Kesrouan for us to believe them?” he asked rhetorically.
Bassil noted that Christians in Lebanon have endorsed two different choices.
“Our choice is the Levantine Christian policy that calls for openness towards everyone, which we started through a memorandum of understanding with Hizbullah and which we want to continue with the other parties. It also started with (Free Patriotic Movement leader) General Michel Aoun's visit to Maalula … while the other choice is accepting the Takfiris' rise to power under the pretext of democracy,” he said.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea “urged us a week ago to reconsider our stance but the Maalula incidents have answered him,” Bassil added.
“We are not pleased that it turned out we were right, as what is the use if we are right and an attack happens against all of us?” he said.
“We need a unified stance so that we can reject the Takfiris. We first need to reject their rise to power and we then need to reject war because it will lead to the displacement of Christians,” Bassil added.
Syrian rebels, including jihadists linked to al-Qaida, have taken control of the historic Christian town of Maalula north of Damascus, a watchdog and residents said on Sunday.
The battle for the town left at least 17 rebels dead and more than 100 wounded overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that dozens of regime forces and pro-militia members were also killed or wounded.
Troops were still stationed around the town, according to a rebel commander in the area, including at a checkpoint where fighting began on Wednesday after an Islamist rebel blew himself up in an attack.
The exodus has left Maalula virtually empty, residents say. "There's no one left in Maalula, everyone has fled," 73-year-old George told Agence France Presse by phone from the town.
Many of Maalula's inhabitants speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ that only small, scattered communities around the world still use. It is full of troglodyte caves dating back to the first centuries of Christianity.
08 September 2013, 21:10
1516
What a sick man. Bassil, get over it. Syria is NOT Lebanon. The soldiers who killed our prominent politicians (Kamal Jumblatt, Bachir Gemayel and so many others) were Sunni, Alawite, Christians, etc... They didn't care back then!
And I add, stop working for Bachar, you're annoying us. 1 Mansour is enough.
God bless Lebanon and the REAL Lebanese that we are....
Bye bye Bachar! Sayonara!
08 September 2013, 21:56
1014
It happened that the Christians lost every where USA involved in ME except in Lebanon. Christians disappeared in Iraq, Egypt and they trying now in Syria. What saved Lebanon Christians was a strong wise leader called Hafez Assad who understood the west ( Israeli) intention and defeated it. I hope Bachar magically can defeate the same evil. God bless you all
09 September 2013, 14:38
24
benzona can you please stop working for the nusra terrorists? one saadoun tweeting from riyadh is enough.
08 September 2013, 21:23
86
Nicolas Sarkozy had told (Maronite) Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in 2011
this was an alakhbar created lie that was later refuted by both parties, inventing a lie them use it as a proof the m8 way
08 September 2013, 21:29
911
Scare tactics is a typical aouni thing. Adolphe the German used them as well....
08 September 2013, 21:41
1010
24/7? Really? Then you're not following me.... Man. I have a life and I'm NOT a PAID MOUTHPIECE. Is it my fault if today's government in Lebanon is the worst since 1943?
Stop blaming me, blame your employer!
08 September 2013, 21:50
910
That's the difference between you and I.
I care about Lebanon, you care about your monthly cheque of Iranian petro-$
الله يلعن بشار و نصر الله
08 September 2013, 22:40
88
flame, whats 3 lives when there are 120.000 already lost?
a lost life is a list life, christian, muslim, jew, hindu, etc....
it's always regrettable.
that's how you should think in the 21st century.
you should be glad the Kerry and Obama will take this to the next level, they want to prevent another Rwanda. It's Clinton's biggest regret.
08 September 2013, 21:51
99
How would you know if he stole an indentity UNLESS you know who hides behind the 50+ aliases?
08 September 2013, 22:19
88
man, I was thinking the same. what a bloody coincidence. we were together, like a family until roar/FT appeared within 5 min.
they either work together in a cyber cafe (sad) or are one same person (also sad). I can swear to you on my life that I'm not Ice-man roar.
Qui pense mal agit mal.....
09 September 2013, 00:04
75
zeroar: rn't u also commenting here? u must be a winner 2. jajajajaja
u r not any better.
08 September 2013, 22:25
89
of, FT/Roar/Southern all together at once.... yet we didn't hear of you at all today. what a bloody coincidence. I won't blame you, you have a family to feed. ;-)
Yalla kheir, peace and love!
08 September 2013, 23:33
65
Im Bassil, who R U? Im Bassil 2!
gr8, now we r 2 im bassils.
in other words, not worth the effort of commenting....
09 September 2013, 00:00
12
for those who keep repeating non-sense stories about Sarkozy, watch this video and see and hear him defend Christians in the Levant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QWkrk_Dy3g
09 September 2013, 01:11
52
Wansaret hatta a2 ya bo tatarata yemken serto metlon la bayet bo ta2a
09 September 2013, 01:13
74
shut up idiot bassil.....need to change his first name.....its a blasphemy to khalil gebran and martyr gibran tueni......
09 September 2013, 01:20
61
Ne7naaaaaaa wa2ta kenna 3an men nadel wan keno haydoli Anna jyju sehro la fofo alan yali khalo madalilo mkhawwal alloni nehna defa3na 3an nizam 3afwan 3an lebnen wa ne7na daharna lehtilel bas saro bara serna ma3on ya jebran wel wel wel ya jebran matensa nam bakkir
09 September 2013, 02:37
62
enough with the disinformation.....you are seeing al qaeda left and right....if al qaeda could not even defeat the kurds in the villages of north syria......please be realistic ....you all know that most fighting people in syria come from the mainstream of society fed up with 40 years of dictatorship especially after they say libya and thought that maybe they can get freedom. can anyone deny how bashar massacred the people in the street the first 6 months ...even Putin admitted it !! and you guys know its true....so if some irakis and foreigners join the fight , is that a surprise?
09 September 2013, 09:13
23
The Christians of Syria will do as the Christians (Chamoun, Gemayels & Co.) of Lebanon did when they felt they got themselves in deep shik (perhaps after failing at executing Israel's grand plan for Lebanon, among other stupidities that they made and that their descendants still make?): they called for the Syrian regime to come occupy their country and rescue their butts. The main difference is that the Syrian regime is Syrian and in Syria, so they are men ahl el bayt. However, in the case of the Lebanese Christians (actually, they are insults to Christianity), they were... well... umm... duh... collaborators with another enemy of Lebanon? Oh, those Syrians were the same ones in whose arms Dr. Arreet 7akeh trampolined while scheming against ebn balado? alla yer7amak ya bassel. takbir
09 September 2013, 12:26
22
Bassoula is doing Bashar the ripper's bidding. Whether something happened in Maaloula or not. Whether all opposition to Bashar are takfiris or not. That does not make Bashar less of a murderer. That does not make what the Assads did to Lebanon since 1975 less bloody and demoniac.
Bashar the ripper should go. He brought the takfiris and sent them to Iraq. Now they are in his country. Maher "Gengis" Assad and Bashar the ripper brought about the destruction of their country.
Their leadership was disastrous. Their father gave them Syria on a gold-plate and they managed to mess it up.
What a bunch of jokers. The only way out is for both the Russians and the US to back a solid army officer that will kick those two daddy's boys out and take over.
The Army officer will then bring the opposition on board and form a Syria government that will have to get rid of the takfiris and then sever the link with the Khamanei and his fundamentalist regime.
09 September 2013, 12:37
22
Shtombak Zangavir (Guest), you are a serious racist and Christian hater. Moreover, you support a blood thirsty despot.
You have not learned the lessons of 15 years of civil war or read any history book about the war and the Assad-Kissinger relationship or how the Assad regime and Israelis fought on the same side against the PLO.
Lebanon is sick with people like you. I suggest you go fight in Syria.
And btw all this loving and caring about the Christians in Syria, where were they when Ashrafieh, Zahle, Jounieh, Metn, were being bombed. Where were they when General Aoun was taken out. Never heard anything from them. Oh yes, they couldn't because they were afraid of being killed and tortured by Assad's mukhabarat.
09 September 2013, 13:22
32
Look who's talking, the only threat to the Christians is your father in law. Give him an army and see what happens.
09 September 2013, 13:51
21
"Gray Matter is a point-and-click adventure game designed by Jane Jensen, renowned for the Sierra Entertainment Gabriel Knight series."
Maybe you meant grey matter?
