Head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), MP Gebran Bassil, affirmed that the people of Tripoli had long endured Syrian tutelage and occupation, emphasizing that one cannot speak of the city without recalling both the call of the muezzin and the sound of church bells — from Mansour Street to St. George’s Church. He stressed that Tripoli stands as a symbol of national unity, as the capital of a diverse North and as Lebanon’s second capital.
Bassil was speaking at a dinner hosted by the FPM’s Tripoli District Committee, attended by President Michel Aoun; Sheikh Ghassan Kanaan, representing the Grand Mufti of the North; Sheikh Ali Kadour, head of the Alawite Islamic Council; Monsignor Joseph Ghabash, representing the Maronite Bishop; Ephraim Kyriakos, Secretary-General of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese; and MPs George Atallah, Asaad Dergham, Edgard Traboulsi, and Jimmy Jabbour.
“Lebanon cannot exist without all its communities,” Bassil said. “Its strength lies in its diversity. The challenge before us today is simple yet decisive: what kind of Lebanon do we want? As partition takes root in Iraq and Syria, our duty is to ensure it never happens here.”
Addressing the people of the North and Tripoli, he asked: “Would you ever accept being torn away from Lebanon and annexed elsewhere?”
Bassil rejected attempts to sow division between the FPM and Tripoli: “They tried to create rifts between Batroun and Tripoli, or between Tripoli and other regions. But history tells a different story. When the people of Batroun, Koura, or Bsharri sought refuge, Tripoli welcomed them. And when Tripoli endured its darkest days of war, its people found shelter in Batroun.”
Turning to development, Bassil noted that the FPM had advanced seven major projects for Tripoli through the Ministry of Energy, worth more than one billion dollars. These included Kadisha, the state-owned electricity provider; the Deir Ammar power plant; the gas terminal at Tripoli port; the regasification plant; the Beddawi storage facility (halted after contracting); the wastewater treatment plant — “the most important in Lebanon,” which had been left idle at a cost of $5 billion in annual maintenance until the FPM reactivated it — as well as the Bared Dam and the Beddawi refinery.
“Tripoli has received more attention than any other city, because its size, location, and potential demand it,” Bassil affirmed. “All attempts to drive a wedge between us and the city have failed.”
He also highlighted the FPM’s support for local initiatives: “When the people and merchants of Mino asked for our help two years ago, we stood with them. Today, we inaugurated the third completed phase of Mino Street. And let it be clear: it is the people of Tripoli who are rebuilding Mino, with many contributing — notably Mr. Alfred Dawra.”
According to Bassil, Tripoli’s potential is vast: “It is home to Lebanon’s largest sand market, yet its historic souks remain neglected. This is unacceptable. We are committed to investing in Tripoli across every sector. When Tripoli thrives, the entire North prospers — from its port to its economic zone and beyond.”
He concluded: “The FPM stands for development and national unity. We reject sectarianism, racism, and division. Our vision is inclusive, because we understand what Tripoli represents. We remain committed to unity and to Greater Lebanon, and we will always resist partition. This is what binds us to the people of Tripoli.”
Tripoli coordinator Dani Saba also addressed the gathering, underscoring the FPM’s national role and paying tribute to the officers and soldiers from Tripoli who had served under General Michel Aoun in the Lebanese Army.