Foreign Affairs Minister, Gebran Bassil, commended Saturday the people of the Bekaa region, praising their loyalty and attachment to their land and roots, adding, "We support the steadfastness of the people of this region."
"We have to build the state, build the economy, and preserve the people and their cohesion so that they can live in a free economy," he corroborated.
"Muslims and Christians together have won over terrorism in the outskirts, and the people of this region stayed on alert throughout the long nights to protect their land...I visited them on some nights in the presence of the Lebanese army and resistance, and hand-in-hand we defeated terrorism through their faith in their land," Bassil confirmed.
His words came during his visit earlier today to the Northern Bekaa region, accompanied by Governor of Baalbek-Hermel Bashir Khodr, where he began his tour from the town of al-Qaa by meeting with a number of young men and women of the Free Patriotic Movement and highlighting their role within society.
He then moved to the town of Ras Baalbek, where he paid tribute to Army Martyr George Abu Saab by visiting the garden dedicated to his name and laying a floral wreath on his tomb, after which he held an open dialogue with a crowd of citizens and townsmen from the region.
Bassil thanked the people of Baalbek-Hermel "who have given a lot to Lebanon, where they joined the army and other security forces and sacrificed their lives for the sake of the nation."
"This region, despite the difficult circumstances it has experienced, and in spite of the injustice and deprived rights it has suffered, its people have preserved its land by clinging to it and to their coexistence," maintained Bassil.
"Today we must create an economic resistance, and it is our duty to ensure the requirements of agriculture e.g. water and others, and more importantly the young expertise and the future look of the youth on agriculture and how to create markets for processing the produce," he went on.
Bassil commended openness in thinking through living together while respecting each other's existence without dissolving one another, adding, "We at the Free Patriotic Movement embody an open political thought."
He also hailed all sacrifices of the Lebanese Army, deeming the military institution as "the sole uniting foundation that protects the homeland."
He added: "Our struggle within the state budget is to preserve their rights [military] and no one compares to our love for the army. We are at the heart of this institution starting from our president, and we stand by its leadership command and we shall not remain silent towards any mistake."
Bassil stressed that "institutions protect us, and we are all concerned to preserve them and ensure their continuity."
TWEET YOUR COMMENT