Lebanese Army, not Hezbollah, needs to fight jihadis: Jobran Bassil
The Daily Star/Jun. 05, 2015
BEIRUT: Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil has warned about the danger of leaving the battle against Syria-based Islamist militants hiding on the outskirts of Arsal in the hands of Hezbollah, and not the Lebanese Army.“There is no disagreement that terrorism is a problem and must be addressed,” Bassil told pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Friday. But he warned that the struggle against terrorism should not be sectarian-based. “What we fear the most is that with time certain sects would look as if they are fighting terrorism more than other sects, giving legitimacy to [their act],” he said in reference to Hezbollah, which has launched in early May an offensive against ISIS and Nusra Front jihadis in Syria’s Qalamoun region.
“When the Army doesn’t do this task and gives way [to Hezbollah] – either due to an inability [to fight] or the abscence of a political decision – then this will open the way for Hezbollah to carry out this job and succeed,” warned Bassil, also an official with the Free Patriotic Movement. “The conclusion is that the Army is not capable of carrying out this task while Shiite Hezbollah succeeded in it.”Bassil acknowledged that the conflict in the Middle East is along religious lines. “The conflict in the region is Sunni-Shiite and many [parties] benefit from that, especially Israel,” he said. “Responsibility requires [us] not to be dragged into this conflict.”
“The more the Saudi role is towards easing tensions and not turning the matter into a sectarian [conflict] and restoring the depth [of the damage], the better.” Bassil stood firmly against foreign interference, pointing a finger at Iran. “If Iran is taking advantage of any Arab-Arab dispute, then this is primarily the responsibility [of the Arabs],” he said. “I don’t like to see anyone from outside the [Middle East] region intervene in the affairs of the region, and they are numerous!”
“We the Arabs could prevent this by keeping all the gaps closed.”The Cabinet Thursday authorized the Lebanese Army to take action to protect the northeastern border town of Arsal. A statement said the government tasked the Army with doing whatever is necessary to drive out jihadis entrenched in the mountain terrain along the outer edge of Arsal. Bassil, however, has expressed reservations over the Cabinet’s decision on Arsal.
“What is needed is a decision rather than a statement. We support tasking the Army [with clearing Arsal’s outskirts of jihadis] as stipulated in the statement, but we oppose the vagueness of it, and we are waiting for results,” he said after the Cabinet session. Hezbollah has repeatedly warned that it would take matters into its own hands if the Army does not take action against the jihadis hiding in Arsal. Such warnings have drawn ire from Lebanese officials over fears of the sectarian reprecussions it could have.
