According to a recent report by the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai, Gebran Bassil has promised to cut ties with Hezbollah if the United States would guarantee his passage to become the president of Lebanon.
Gebran Bassil, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, pledged to U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration that his party will break the alliance with Iran-backed Hezbollah and adopt all of the United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for the disarmament of militias in Lebanon, such as Resolutions 1559 and 1701.
Earlier this year, on the 15-year anniversary of the Mar Mikhael agreement between the FPM and Hezbollah, the FPM announced that the agreement has failed to achieve its goal.
Additionally, it is no secret that, as the son-in-law of current Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Gebran Bassil has eyes on taking over Baabda Palace once Aoun’s term ends in 2022.
According to Al Rai newspaper, experts in Washington believe that it is Gebran Bassil and Hezbollah’s tactic to freeze all political progress in Lebanon until they get what they want.
The newspaper stated that Hezbollah had previously imposed a presidential vacuum twice until being able to get the president of their choice, Aoun.
This time, the strategy is to prolong the government formation deadlock until Gebran Bassil gets confirmation that he will be able to succeed his father-in-law, Aoun.
Gebran Bassil was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2020 for his role in corruption and for his link with Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
Lebanon, which has been without a government for over 8 months now, received this week the visit of United States Under Secretary of State David Hale who warned of punitive actions against those obstructing the government formation. He accused Hezbollah and Iran of undermining the state and urged the Lebanese officials to rescue the country from its collapse.
Meanwhile, as the stalling continues to meet the power interests of the main political players, the social and economic situation in Lebanon is dangerously collapsing day after day.
