Former Lebanese FM Gebran Bassil: Lebanon Cannot Afford A Resurgence Of Palestinian Attacks On Israel from Its Land

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, the President of the Free Patriotic Movement, responded in a September 13, 2020 show on Newsgate (Lebanon) to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's visit to the Ein Al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. He said that the Lebanese people will not allow their country to once again become a place from where martyrdom-seekers operate or a battleground where foreign conflicts are settled. Bassil clarified that Lebanon cannot tolerate the events that took place during Haniyeh's visit to the Ein Al-Hilweh refugee camp. He said that such events harm Lebanon and do not serve the Palestinian cause. Bassil added that Lebanon will not allow anyone to do things that will pose a threat to Lebanon's existence, sovereignty, security, and honor.

Gebran Bassil: "The Lebanese follow the international UNSC 1701 Resolution. They will not and cannot let Lebanon become, once again, a place where fedaai operations are launched, or the venue for settling foreign conflicts. It has cost us 15 years of war to overcome these transgressions. We want to be candid with our Palestinian brothers. We love them and want to work together with them to prevent others from taking advantage of the various conflicts, and to prevent any security breaches and [interference] by regional blocs, in order to spare both Lebanon and the [Palestinian] refugee camps, any exploitation or transgression by Israel or by terrorists.

"In this day and age, Lebanon cannot tolerate what happened and what was reported during Ismail Haniyeh's visit. Such a thing hams Lebanon and it does not serve the Palestinian cause or the return of our refugee brothers to their land. This increases the threat to Lebanon's sovereignty and unity. We will not allow anyone to create new facts on the ground that will threaten Lebanon's existence, sovereignty, security, and honor."