Controversy Grows over Bassil Remarks on Israel
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has sparked controversy in Lebanon by saying that he does not reject Israel's existence and that Israel “has the right to live in security.”
“We do not have an ideological problem with Israel. We do not reject Israel's existence and its right to live in security. We are only saying that we want all peoples to lives in security and to acknowledge each other,” Bassil said in an interview with the Beirut-based, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen television.
The minister's remarks drew criticism from some politicians and sparked a social media war of words between supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah.
A statement issued by Bassil's press office said a video circulated on social media was “taken out of context.”
“This curtailment is aimed at distorting Minister Bassil's stance,” the press office said, noting that Bassil considers Israel “an aggressor entity that practices state terrorism.”
“This campaign is aimed at undermining Minister Bassil's stance on Jerusalem at the Arab League,” the press office added.
Source: Naharnet
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