Gebran Bassil

Bassil, the Unloved

Ridicule won't kill Gebran Bassil any time soon. Between lies, half-truths, and fabrications, Batroun’s MP is willing to say anything and everything to make himself interesting and relevant. During a televised interview on OTV on Wednesday, the son-in-law of the ex-President of the Republic complimented Speaker of the House Nabih Berry, with ...

Is Gebran Bassil’s Purported Plan a Game Changer?

Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) chief Gebran Bassil is presently equidistant from all political forces, even from Hezbollah (supposedly his Mar Mikhael Agreement ally). This position is the result of the blow he suffered from his closest allies when it came to extending the tenure of the Army Commander-in-Chief. As such, the prolongation of ...

Hezb-FPM: An Alliance of Pure Necessity

An Opposition MP described the alliance between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah as one purely based on necessity and interest, even though it is often weakened when important deadlines approach. "Hezbollah puts its interests ahead of those of its ally," he said. A Lebanese Forces MP also described this alliance as "a marriage of ...

Michel Aoun at FPM Meeting Calls for 'Closing Ranks'

The weekly meeting of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), headed by its leader Gebran Bassil, was marked by the presence of his father-in-law, former President of the Republic Michel Aoun. According to information obtained by This is Beirut, this participation comes in the wake of "unjustified" absences of several FPM members from party meetings ...

Teymour Joumblatt Visits Frangieh

As part of his policy of openness to different political factions, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) MP Teymour Joumblatt paid a visit to the head of the Marada movement, Sleiman Frangieh, at his residence in Bnechai on Tuesday morning. Joumblatt was accompanied by a PSP delegation comprising MPs Akram Chehayeb and Wael Abou Faour, ...

Army Commander Visits Minister of Defense Following Tensions

Army Commander General Joseph Aoun conveyed his best wishes to caretaker Minister of National Defense Maurice Sleem on the occasion of Christmas when he visited him at the Ministry of Defense in Yarzeh on Tuesday, in an apparent move to ease tensions between them. The visit comes in the wake of the parliament’s vote in favor of extending the ...

Joseph Aoun's Mandate: The Moment of Truth on Friday

Although the various bills proposing to delay the retirement of the army's Commander-in-Chief, General Joseph Aoun, were not discussed at the legislative session on Thursday, the issue was on everyone's mind. The deferral of Gen. Aoun's mandate, which expires on January 10, is expected to occur on Friday. This would take place at a meeting of the ...

Bassil Tries to Sow Discord in the Army... In Vain

Gebran Bassil is still using every possible means to attack and dismiss the army's Commander-in-Chief, Joseph Aoun, whose presence at the head of the army would strengthen his chances of being elected president. The name of the head of military intelligence, General Antoine Kahwaji, has been put forward to replace General J. Aoun, who is due to ...

Mikati After Talks with Berri: Priority for Stability at the Head of the Army

Negotiations are still ongoing between the Speaker of Parliament and the Council of Ministers in an attempt to find a formula that keeps the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, General Joseph Aoun, in his post and thus avoids destabilizing the armed forces in the current circumstances facing Lebanon. It was against this backdrop that caretaker Prime ...