Beirut:Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Gebran Bassil has proposed the formation of an international force to safeguard Lebanon's sovereignty and called for Israel's withdrawal from the region. Bassil presented his party's proposal to President Joseph Aoun during a meeting at Baabda Palace, where he led an FPM delegation.
According to National news agency - Lebanon, Bassil urged consultations with concerned countries to help Lebanon move beyond its current state of uncertainty. He suggested that the international force should include the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to ensure a balanced approach towards Lebanon and Israel. This arrangement, Bassil argued, would eliminate Israel's stated rationale for protecting its territory.
Bassil emphasized that safeguarding Lebanese sovereignty necessitates Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese state's exclusive control over weapons. He maintained that adopting a national security strategy should remain a domestic matter. Furthermore, he called for international guarantees to shield Lebanon from regional rivalries and conflicts, potentially through defense agreements with countries capable of providing protection.
Bassil also advocated for a truce to establish lasting calm, which could eventually lead to a comprehensive and just peace once the necessary conditions are met. He firmly rejected any attempts to use the Israeli occupation as a means to impose normalization on Lebanon.
