October 5, 2026
From the Jbeil district, the head of the “Free Patriotic Movement,” MP Gebran Bassil, launched political positions in which he stressed the need to give priority to the national interest over political differences, warning of the repercussions of societal division and emphasizing the necessity of respecting the sacrifices and testimonies of others, regardless of the extent of the differences in viewpoints.
During a tour that included the towns of Beja and Ghalboun, Bassil considered that political differences do not justify underestimating the sacrifices of partners in the homeland, noting that “it is foolishness of mind” to believe that the movement might not appreciate these sacrifices. He explained that the movement is ready to bear political and popular costs in order to protect the people of the country from external attacks, pointing out the gravity of the current crisis and its devastating impact on the future of the country and the people of the South in particular, and praising the greatness of the humanitarian faith of those who considered that they were “created to die as martyrs.”
Regarding the military issue, Bassil reiterated his emphasis on respecting the martyrs of the Lebanese Army, considering that reverence for their sacrifices rises above any political or intellectual consideration. On the legislative level, he made it clear that his rejection of the amnesty law does not stem from opposition to the acquittal of the oppressed, but rather from his categorical refusal to include in the amnesty those who were involved in the killing of officers and soldiers or who disdained their blood.
At Ghalboun station, where he participated in the second edition of the Race for the Martyr of the Place of Honor, Jean-Joseph El Khoury, Bassil stressed that differences should not overshadow the interest of the town, society, and nation, calling for the establishment of a “new culture” that begins with local reform. He also recalled the movement’s struggle and the arrests of its activists in defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty, stressing that “we have no right to neglect the sacrifices of those who gave their lives.”
Bassil had begun his tour in the town of Beja, in response to the invitation of Naji Hayek, Vice President of the Movement for Relations with External Parties, where he discussed the diversity within the Movement, considering that it reflects the diversity of Lebanon. He called for not wasting power in pointless disputes, whether at the municipal level or within the movement itself, in light of the grave challenges facing the country.
