Lebanese Forces media official Charles Jabbour: Elections bridge gap between Lebanese people abroad and at home

BEIRUT — Charles Jabbour, Head of the Media and Communication Office of the Lebanese Forces party, emphasized that elections are a vital link between Lebanese citizens abroad and those residing in Lebanon in an interview on the program Bikol Hurriyeh aired on Suroyo TV. 

He claimed that certain political factions are determined to block expatriates from exercising their right to vote. 

Many Lebanese emigrated due to the country’s prolonged wars and the policies of the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” said Jabbour. This axis, he argued, seeks to disconnect expatriates from their homeland by stripping them of electoral participation. 

Jabbour accused the “Axis of Resistance” of dividing Lebanese citizens into two groups — those allowed to vote and those denied that right. In contrast, he said, the Lebanese Forces party views all Lebanese as equal, regardless of where they live. 

He also observed that Lebanon is undergoing a slow transition in its political system. However, he said some factions continue to cling to the remnants of the old regime, obstructing any meaningful transformation — unlike the more radical changes seen in neighboring Syria. 

Jabbour further described Iran as the “[Islamic State (ISIS)] of the region,” alleging that it controls, funds, and directs ISIS-like operations. He accused Tehran of reactivating the group in Syria to force the Syrian people into a binary choice between ISIS-like extremists and the former regime. 

Regarding the ongoing rhetoric around “resistance,” Jabbour stated that anyone publicly advocating for resistance should be prosecuted for incitement to violence. He specifically cited Sheikh Naim Qassim, who has repeatedly declared that “resistance continues,” arguing that Lebanon’s judiciary should hold him accountable.