A wave of reactions emerged in Lebanon Sunday after the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, accused his opponents of targeting his party at all levels, personally, politically, and most importantly by the media.

 

 

In a televised speech broadcasted Sunday, the Christian leader spoke about reforms, his relationship with Hezbollah, and the new government.

 

 

He demanded his opponents not to use the FPM to justify any delays in the formation of the new cabinet.

 

 

“Personally, I am not concerned with the ministry anymore. I am freed from the burden it inflicted on me. As the FPM, we are not interested either directly or indirectly in participating in a government that does not have conditions of productivity, efficiency, and reform,” he noted.

 

 

Bassil said Lebanon's political sectarian regime is Lebanon’s cause of all ills and the reason for every failure the country has reached.

 

 

“We are simply unable to continue except through a new national pact," he underlined.

 

 

Speaking about his relationship with Hezbollah, the MP said his party defends Hezbollah on the external front, but “we are not obliged to defend their mistakes in the interior.”

 

 

Referring to the campaign targeting FPM in wake of the Aug. 4 Beirut Port explosion, he stressed that "what happened was in the size of a conspiracy and not just negligence, especially since such unjust and false accusations are among a series of attacks we are exposed to."

 

 

Bassil’s comments drove a wave of reactions.

 

 

Three deputies from the Lebanese Forces accused the FPM leader of distorting facts and lying to the Lebanese people.

 

 

Lawmaker Imad Wakim the latest speech of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah gave Bassil the nerve to stage a ceremony of “lies, scrounging and as usual, distortion of facts.”

 

 

For his part, MP Fadi Saad accused Bassil of appearing on a televised speech alone and avoiding being questioned. “Until when are you going to escape responsibility and not admit your failure,” he asked.

 

 

Wehbi Qatisha said that after four years of ruling the country, Bassil is again trying to convince the people about his willingness to discuss a national defense strategy and reform in the electricity sector.

 

 

Former MP Mustafa Allouch from the Mustaqbal Movement told Bassil, “Speaking about the issue of existence and particularly addressing Christians, is considered silly talk that is no longer possible.”

 

 

Allouch accused the FPM leader of conspiring with Hezbollah to reach power. “You will conspire with any party that will again provide you with this power,” he said.