Times have changed, or nearly so. Yet Gebran Bassil rushed ahead, without waiting for the war to end or for the outcome to become clear. His swift shift came as no surprise to many. Perhaps he shocked Hezbollah’s base, sparking anger and threats. His actions may have cost him dearly, both in this life and in the afterlife. In fact, his position led to the loss of all support from Christians, as well as Shiites. Before losing both, he had already lost the missile… and respect.
In challenging times, men are put to the test. Gebran Bassil didn’t even wait for the customary forty days after Hassan Nasrallah’s death to turn against him. He abandoned the man who was instrumental in General Michel Aoun’s rise to the presidency—the one who supported him significantly after the July war, sacrificing greatly for the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and helping to expand its parliamentary bloc before it shrank with the departure of four MPs.
Some have claimed that “Hassan Nasrallah has been martyred once again” following FPM’s leader remarks to Al-Arabiya’s TV. The leader of the FPM executed a complete 180-degree turn, a tactic he has historically employed, including in his accusations against Nabih Berri and others. Hezbollah supporters flooded social media with fierce denunciations of Bassil, branding him disloyal, treacherous, and a betrayer. Some compared Bassil to the steadfast Sleiman Franjieh, who remains firm in his positions, no matter the cost he may incur.
Given that our memories are still vivid, and a quick Google search can jog them, it’s important to recall the "missile" that Bassil received as a gift from a Hezbollah official. No one knows for sure if he has stashed the missile in a basement or tossed it in the trash to avoid reminders of the past and the “countless shady spots.” Regardless, at this point, he is “forced” to address this matter.
Times have changed, or are on the verge of changing. However, Bassil rushed the process and did not wait for the war to end or for the outcomes to become clear. He quickly jumped ship and delivered two messages through his recent statements: the first was directed at the United States, indicating his readiness to fully distance himself from his alliance with Hezbollah. He aims to reduce American support for Army Commander Joseph Aoun, whether through an extension of his leadership or a potential presidential nomination. Perhaps later, the leader of the FPM will also seek to work towards lifting the sanctions imposed on him by the US Treasury during the previous and incoming administrations under Donald Trump.
The second message addressed via Al Arabiya was directed at Saudi Arabia. For several months, the leader of the FPM has been striving, albeit very late, to improve relations with the KSA. This effort aims to prevent Riyadh's connections from being limited to the Lebanese Forces (LF) and other sovereign figures he is well acquainted with.
This is the policy of sabotage and deflecting responsibilities onto others that Bassil adheres to. He used this method when he exploited Qard al-Hassan to conspire for the appointment of the puppet Hassan Diab as prime minister. This resulted in a planned and swift collapse, orchestrated by his economic advisors, including Alain Bifani and Henri Chaoul, along with their associates. He adopted the same tactic when he overlooked Hezbollah's actions, actively participating in the obstruction of the presidency and government while shutting down Beirut’s downtown area. Meanwhile, he has focused exclusively on attacking House Speaker Nabih Berri in the past and is now making desperate attempts to hold the Army Commander accountable for the current economic crisis.
Gebran Bassil did not surprise many. He might have unsettled Hezbollah's base, provoking anger and threats in return. His actions appear to have led to significant losses in both this life and the afterlife. Indeed, his stance has resulted in losing both the Christians and the Shiites. But most and foremost, he lost the missile… and respect.
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