The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, criticized the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Gebran Bassil, without naming him, for blocking an extension of the mandate of Army Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Aoun. He stressed the need to preserve the leadership of the regular forces.
In a statement on Sunday, Raad asserted that crucial deadlines lie ahead for Lebanon, particularly the one relating to the vacancy at the head of the army. “We must fill this vacuum to preserve the leadership of this institution, which is fulfilling its national role in Lebanon,” he said. Raad announced that his group is working to this end, but that susceptibilities and rivalries are standing in the way. “We have put forward all the choices that can preserve stability at the helm of the army, but the susceptibilities of some and petty rivalries are prolonging this deadline,” he said. General Aoun is set to retire on January 10, 2024.
When referring to petty rivalries, Mohammad Raad is referring to FPM leader Gebran Bassil, his ally, who is the only one opposed to extending General Joseph Aoun’s term of office. Aoun is, in fact, a serious candidate for the presidency and therefore a major rival for Bassil who dreams of one day becoming president. Bassil would like the highest-ranking officer to be appointed head of the army, pending the appointment of a new commander once a new president is elected. As it happens, the highest-ranking officer is close to Bassil.
Raad also insisted on not forgetting the fundamental deadline on which all others rest, namely the election of a president.
Speaking at a commemorative ceremony organized by Hezbollah, Raad said that “we must not let ourselves be frightened by the current escalation” in southern Lebanon, claiming that it was “calculated to convince Israel that it has no choice but to submit to the will of the resistance.”
