Nasrallah: Some March 14 Christians Seeking Sunni-Shiite Conflict
Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday accused “some of March 14's Christians” of “seeking a Sunni-Shiite conflict in Lebanon,” rejecting the formation of a neutral or technocrat cabinet and calling on the March 14 camp to engage in dialogue “if they want a unity government.”
“All indications confirm that some parties in the country are conspiring with foreign forces to push the country towards an explosion,” said Nasrallah in a televised address marking Hizbullah's Martyr Day.
“On Martyr Day, I stress that we will carry on with our efforts, preparedness to defend our country and the improvement of our capabilities. Let no one think that the events in the region can affect the Resistance's resolve and efforts,” said Nasrallah.
“Some Lebanese parties believe that blowing up Lebanon would serve certain interests. They want a Sunni-Shiite conflict and I'm specifically referring to some of March 14's Christians,” he added.
Hizbullah's leader voiced rejection of calls by the March 14 forces to form a neutral government or a technocrat government.
“There is a legitimate and constitutional government that is pursuing its duties and speaking of a neutral government is meaningless in a country where no one is neutral. A technocrat government has no place in a country that is political par excellence,” said Nasrallah.
“Come to the dialogue table if you want a unity government,” he added, addressing the rival March 14 camp.
The March 14 forces have called for the departure of Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government in the wake of the assassination of Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan.
Hasan and two other people were killed and more than 100 people were wounded in a massive car bombing in the Beirut district of Ashrafiyeh on October 19.
Hasan was close to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and hostile to the regime in Syria. He had been tipped to take over as ISF head at the end of this year.
The ISF played a central role in the arrest in August of former Lebanese information minister Michel Samaha, who has close links to Damascus and was charged with planning attacks in Lebanon and transporting explosives in collaboration with Syrian security chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk.
“The bombing that led to the martyrdom of Maj. Gen. al-Hasan has pushed Lebanon to a new scene of sharp tensions and divisions,” Nasrallah warned.
He called on all Lebanese leaders to “enjoy national responsibility” and “take into consideration the tense situation in the region and Syria and elsewhere.”
“After the crime of the assassination of Maj. Gen. al-Hasan, the other camp pointed the finger at Syria without any evidence and they are used to political accusation. Some people accused Hizbullah and claimed that the killers of the top Sunni officer are Shiite. What do they want to achieve from that?” Nasrallah added.
“If they were reasonable, they would have mentioned all possibilities, but the absurd thing is that they excluded Israel from the very beginning and accused Hizbullah,” he noted.
“They ruled out all the possibilities and one of them claimed that he has pictures. Let him hand them over to investigators. They demanded the departure of the government, boycotted the parliament and everything and resorted to misleading the public,” Nasrallah went on to say.
Hizbullah's leader accused the rival March 14 camp of stirring unrest across Lebanon in the wake of Hasan's assassination.
“They stirred up fighting in Tripoli, tried to drag the neighborhoods around Tariq al-Jedideh into a gunbattle and turned the funeral into a political event not to mention the attempt to storm the Grand Serail,” said Nasrallah.
“I hail the awareness of people who deprived some leaders of the chance to see the fire spreading to all regions,” he added.
Turning to Sunday's deadly clashes in the southern city of Sidon between supporters of Hizbullah and Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir, Nasrallah said: “Sidon is the capital of the South and it will remain the capital of resistance. Sidon will continue to embrace Palestine and the Palestinian people who are residing in refugee camps."
"Some want to drag Sidon into strife, amid the silence of many parties and the failure of the state to shoulders its responsibilities," he warned.
"This critical period requires awareness from the Shiites and Sunnis and no one must deceive us through lies and fabrications," added Nasrallah.
Addressing Hizbullah's supporters, Nasrallah said: "Today, we must be patient and must exercise self-restraint in the face of provocations."
He also said that "Shiites and Sunnis must be patient and the state must shoulder its responsibilities."
Turning to the issue of the drone sent by Hizbullah over Israel, Nasrallah said "the March 14 camp started issuing lamentation and mourning statements and said that the incident will give Israel an excuse to strike Lebanon."
"I take responsibility for saying that they were wishing for an Israeli strike on Lebanon, but the Israelis have their own plans and they are not March 14's employees," Nasrallah noted.
Commenting on the protratced Syrian crisis, Hizbullah's leader said: "Our stance on Syria has not changed. A settlement and a political solution are in the interest of Syria's people."
"The dangerous thing is that there is consensus in the new opposition coalition on rejecting dialogue. They want further destruction and this is in the interest of the U.S., Israel and some spiteful Arab states," he added.
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