The Political Council of the Free Patriotic Movement held its regular meeting under the chairmanship of MP Gebran Bassil, during which it discussed its agenda and issued the following statement:
1- The Movement calls on the Lebanese authorities to present the clear official Lebanese position that led to the ceasefire and how to move toward ending hostilities and securing the withdrawal of the Israeli army, in light of unacceptable Israeli statements about drawing a yellow line that would entrench its occupation of land its bulldozers are turning into scorched and demolished terrain, something that cannot be tolerated. The Movement also calls on the authorities to draft a clear Lebanese paper on how to enforce the principle of confining arms and Lebanese decision-making to the state.
2- The Movement believes that negotiating with Israel is legitimate if its aim is to achieve withdrawal, restore full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory, and stop all air, land, and sea violations. As for direct negotiations aimed at reaching a just and lasting peace, we support them, but they require national and Arab consultation so that Lebanon is fortified in taking such a serious step.
3- The Movement renews its commitment to the initiative to protect Lebanon and its conviction of the need to strengthen the national position through a joint effort bringing together those keen on protecting Lebanon, based on the constants of the unity of the state, rejection of any foreign occupation, strengthening the power of the state, and confining the right of defense to it, and consequently restricting arms exclusively to the army, while also putting in place a national plan to support the return of displaced Lebanese to their land, prevent any demographic sorting, and secure the conditions for reconstruction.
