Bassil rejects 'forced normalization' with Israel, calls for neutrality, security guarantees
Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil called on Tuesday for full Israeli withdrawal and an exclusive state monopoly on weapons as two conditions for Lebanese sovereignty, as he met with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda.
"Sovereignty requires Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese state's commitment to a monopoly on weapons," Bassil said.
Bassil called for shielding Lebanon from regional conflicts through international security guarantees, suggesting these could be backed by defense agreements with nations capable of protecting the country.
He also advocated for a truce that would pave the way for lasting calm and a comprehensive peace "once conditions are met" while firmly rejecting any Israeli attempt to leverage its military occupation to force normalization on Lebanon.
Source: Naharnet
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