Gebran Bassil - Head of FPM, Leader of the Strong Lebanon Bloc and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Manifesto]

I don't really get Bassil.

For the last year, he was campaigning against the resettlement of Syrian Refugees, citing Lebanon's inability to host 1.5 Million people a quarter of its population.

Now he wants to reclaim citizenship for those of Lebanese descent, which is actually quite ironic, considering that many first generation Lebanese immigrants who left before 1942, are actually Syrian on paper. LOL

Suddenly Lebanon is capable of hosting 14 Million people in the disapora? Has Bassil ever wondered what would happen to the already-saturated Lebanese job market if millions of immigrants decided to come back?

 

[JB81]

I don't really get Bassil.

For the last year, he was campaigning against the resettlement of Syrian Refugees, citing Lebanon's inability to host 1.5 Million people a quarter of its population.

Now he wants to reclaim citizenship for those of Lebanese descent, which is actually quite ironic, considering that many first generation Lebanese immigrants who left before 1942, are actually Syrian on paper. LOL

Suddenly Lebanon is capable of hosting 14 Million people in the disapora? Has Bassil ever wondered what would happen to the already-saturated Lebanese job market if millions of immigrants decided to come back?

And you would think Lebanese diaspora return to Lebanon for work? El3a2el zineh lol

 

[Mighty Goat]

And you would think Lebanese diaspora return to Lebanon for work? El3a2el zineh lol

على أساس أنه محافظلن على الوظائف المسيحية بالدولة شاغرة حتى رجوعهم وأن أضطر يحط موظف و ما لقي مسيحي بيوظف أفراد العيلة لحتى يرجعوا المسيحيين.

 

[Manifesto]

And you would think Lebanese diaspora return to Lebanon for work? El3a2el zineh lol

So according to Bassil's logic, one's eligibility to Lebanese citizenship is dependent on how much money he can milk out of them.
As they long as they stay abroad, and keep sending money to Lebanon, they are eligible to become Lebanese.

 

[JB81]

على أساس أنه محافظلن على الوظائف المسيحية بالدولة شاغرة حتى رجوعهم وأن أضطر يحط موظف و ما لقي مسيحي بيوظف أفراد العيلة لحتى يرجعوا المسيحيين.

Shefteh! Even Christians in Lebanon ma byetala3o bhek wazayef lol

 

[Mighty Goat]

So according to Bassil's logic, one's eligibility to Lebanese citizenship is dependent on how much money he can milk out of them.
As they long as they stay abroad, and keep sending money to Lebanon, they are eligible to become Lebanese.

He is not asking Lebanese in diaspora to come back. He is asking Christians in diaspora to come back. He does not want a Metwali in diaspora to come back because he has no job or position to offer them. He is interested in the return of Christian Lebanese in diaspora.

 

[Manifesto]

He is not asking Lebanese in diaspora to come back. He is asking Christians in diaspora to come back. He does not want a Metwali in diaspora to come back because he has no job or position to offer them. He is interested in the return of Christian Lebanese in diaspora.

Is he really interested in offering then jobs? Or does he just want more votes?

Btw, why do you insist on using the word Metwali. Isn't this a derogatory term for Shia?

 

[Mighty Goat]

Is he really interested in offering then jobs? Or does he just want more votes?

Btw, why do you insist on using the word Metwali. Isn't this a derogatory term for Shia?

No it is not derogatory. This was their identity before the confessional state. I insist because it is not a sectarian identity. This is Metwali does not mean Shi'a. It means non Arab convert. I prefer this identity. Taking that my father was Jewish, through his mother. I prefer that I call myself Metwali. It maintains something about my Jewish heritage. I refuse the identity Shi'a.

 

[JB81]

So according to Bassil's logic, one's eligibility to Lebanese citizenship is dependent on how much money he can milk out of them.
As they long as they stay abroad, and keep sending money to Lebanon, they are eligible to become Lebanese.

What's wrong with that? Are you against Lebanon using its diaspora success and support?
But no, Bassil is not after money but Lebanese diaspora who's ancestors came from Great Lebanon boundaries before and after 1943.

 

[Manifesto]

What's wrong with that? Are you against Lebanon using its diaspora success and support?
But no, Bassil is not after money but Lebanese diaspora who's ancestors came from Great Lebanon boundaries before and after 1943.

I just find his statements and actions contradictory.

He wants Syrians to leave because he believes that 1.5 are a burden on Lebanon's population.
Yet he has no problem bringing back millilns of people back from the Lebanese diaspora.

 

[Manifesto]

No it is not derogatory. This was their identity before the confessional state. I insist because it is not a sectarian identity. This is Metwali does not mean Shi'a. It means non Arab convert. I prefer this identity. Taking that my father was Jewish, through his mother. I prefer that I call myself Metwali. It maintains something about my Jewish heritage. I refuse the identity Shi'a.

Are the metwalis of Lebanon not originally Arabs? As far as I know most of them came from Yemen.

 

[JB81]

I just find his statements and actions contradictory.

He wants Syrians to leave because he believes that 1.5 are a burden on Lebanon's population.
Yet he has no problem bringing back millilns of people back from the Lebanese diaspora.

They are burden and the Lebanese diaspora will be a relief... enno need 2 talk about it? 1.5 million ji3en uneducated vs rich educated successful people... sorry to go in details but this is a fact if you want to go that far.

 

[Mighty Goat]

Are the metwalis of Lebanon not originally Arabs? As far as I know most of them came from Yemen.

No Metwali means non Arab convert. Amelies came from Yemen.

 

[Manifesto]

No Metwali means non Arab convert. Amelies came from Yemen.

Are you sure?

1. والي ( اسم ):
   • المُتَوالِي : واحدُ المَتَاوِلَة وهم الشِّيعة ؛ سُمُّوا به لأَنهم تَوَلُّوْا عليًّا وأَهلَ بيته

 

[Mighty Goat]

Are you sure?

1. والي ( اسم ):
   • المُتَوالِي : واحدُ المَتَاوِلَة وهم الشِّيعة ؛ سُمُّوا به لأَنهم تَوَلُّوْا عليًّا وأَهلَ بيته

source

 

[Mighty Goat]

In the Shadow of Sectarianism — Max Weiss | Harvard University Press

This is a good analysis. Check the era of Henry Lammens and the process of incorporating Metwali with Shi'a. pages 40-50.

 

[Manifesto]

In the Shadow of Sectarianism — Max Weiss | Harvard University Press

This is a good analysis. Check the era of Henry Lammens and the process of incorporating Metwali with Shi'a. pages 40-50.

Interesting. Makes for a good read.

 

[Mighty Goat]

Are you sure?

1. والي ( اسم ):
   • المُتَوالِي : واحدُ المَتَاوِلَة وهم الشِّيعة ؛ سُمُّوا به لأَنهم تَوَلُّوْا عليًّا وأَهلَ بيته

This is Shi'a theology primarily initiated by a scholar called Ahmed Rida in 1919, where working with Lammens categorization of the confessional identities in Lebanon, there was an issue associated with the religious identity of the Metwali. According to Orientalist historians of the era. Metwalis practiced a strange religion and they did not eat with Christians and Muslims.

Amili Shi'a were a group of clergy converted in the 11th century A.D. These people also had a narrative of migration from Yemen.

Jebel Amil until 1919 was called Jabal el Beshara Ard al Matawela.

But Lammens and Rida worked out the inclusion of Metwali into the narrative of the Amila, but in essence they were two groups.

 

[JB81]

How did this thread end up with metwali vs Shiite?

 

[Mighty Goat]

How did this thread end up with metwali vs Shiite?

The genius of manifesto hitting right into my most current research.