During a dinner party organized by the Aley Judicial Authority of the Free Patriotic Movement, the head of the movement, MP Gebran Bassil, gave a speech in which he stressed that “what is required of us today is to be Lebanese,” stressing that the challenge facing every Lebanese is to be Lebanese “not only by identity but by decision as well.”

Bassil wondered: “What is the benefit of a person being Lebanese by identity but his decision is not Lebanese,” considering that the motive behind the movement’s support for “General” Michel Aoun in 1988 was that “his position was Lebanese,” describing this matter as a feature that distinguishes the Free Patriotic Movement.

Bassil stressed the need to “be Lebanese only and nothing else, neither Iranians nor Israelis,” without favoring one party over another, considering that the current events in the region “violate every concept of international legitimacy,” and that an attack on the sovereignty of states without deterrence represents “a fall of international legitimacy and international principles.”

He stressed that “Lebanon, as an Arab country within the League of Arab States, is concerned with not accepting any violation of the sovereignty or security of Arab countries under any pretext.”

Regarding the security situation, Bassil explained that “no one can use the excuse that there are American military bases in Lebanon to launch any strike from Lebanon, because there are no American military bases here, and the Hamat base is a Lebanese army base,” stressing the rejection of any attack on embassies in Lebanon or harming the country’s foreign relations, “regardless of whether the position is right or not.”

He added: “Lebanon’s interest requires its neutralization from the ongoing conflicts,” stressing that this position is firm, just as the movement previously rejected Lebanon being an arena for others’ wars, “and we do not accept that it enter into others’ wars on their land.”

He believed that regional events “are not simple enough to enter into a game with stakes greater than all of us.”

Regarding the party issue, Bassil pointed out that “the situation of the Popular Movement is better than that of the Internal Movement in Aley,” noting that the movement contributed to “correcting representation” through the proportional electoral law.

He stressed that there will be “one candidate for the movement in Aley,” calling for adherence to the party’s decision when it is issued, with the elections approaching.

Regarding development, Bassil announced the start of work to restore, improve and develop Mar Elias Square in the town of Kahala, noting that the credit for launching the project goes to Mayor Abboud Bejjani, who developed a work plan for its implementation.

He pointed out that the project will end before the end of the term of the current mayor, considering that this trend reflects “our development view of the country with limited potential.”

Bassil criticized what he described as some parties spending large sums of money in the elections without implementing development projects, stressing the movement’s adherence to the “developmental approach,” seeking to develop people and towns, and moving toward “actual decentralization” and a trust fund.