Hizbullah Slams Bassil's Decision at Anti-IS Meet

Hizbullah criticized on Saturday Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil for broadly agreeing on a decision taken during a meeting in Jeddah to form a coalition to fight the Islamic State without highlighting Lebanon's role or having any reservations.

“I have informed Americans and all representatives present at the Jeddah meeting that we agree to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front and al-Qaida,” Bassil told As Safir newspaper.

However, Bassil pointed out that any war against ISIL should “respect the sovereignty of states and the international law and should be carried out by legitimate state and by well-trained armies.”

He told the newspaper that “no countries should be excluded as that could imbalance the mass confrontation.”

“Lebanon's participation in such a coalition safeguards it and provides it with the needed political support and aid for the army,” Bassil said, considering that “it would unveil all the supporters of ISIL in Lebanon and the region and prevent extremists from using it as a conduit for arms and money.”

Ten Arab states, including heavyweight Saudi Arabia, agreed in Jeddah to rally behind Washington in the fight against Islamic State jihadists, as it seeks to build an international coalition.

The IS militants pose a threat on Lebanon. Last month, they attacked the northeastern border town of Arsal and engaged in heavy clashes with the Lebanese army.

The fighters withdrew from Arsal but took with them hostages from the military and the Internal Security Forces. They beheaded two of them.

Howerver, sources close to Hizbullah criticized Bassil's stances at the Jeddah meeting, pointing out that “the official Lebanese stance is committed to fighting terrorism, but engaging in any international coalition should clearly highlight the role of the state in this regard.”

Bassil is affiliated to the Free Patriotic Movement, which is part of the March 8 coalition along with Hizbullah.

The sources pointed out that the cabinet should clarify during its upcoming session, Bassil's agreement to the decision taken during the Jeddah meeting, where he failed to voice any reservations.

According to As Safir newspaper published on Saturday several U.S. delegations visited Beirut recently to inquire Lebanon's readiness to engage in the battle against ISIL.

Sources told the daily, that the U.S. has been keen during the past three years to tip-off Lebanon about any security development linked to the national security.

H.K.

D.A.