Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati on Sunday described as "strife-inciting" some of the statements made earlier in the day at the rally organized by the March 14 camp to commemorate the 6th anniversary of the Cedar Revolution.
Asked by his visitors for his feedback concerning the rally, Miqati said: "May God have mercy upon Martyr (premier) Rafik Hariri's soul, because he would have rejected some of the strife-inciting remarks that were made near his tomb" in downtown Beirut.
Full StoryCaretaker Economy Minister Mohammed Safadi on Sunday voiced his rejection of "the remarks that have attacked late premier Rafik Hariri who is the martyr of entire Lebanon," describing any insult against him as "an insult against the whole Lebanese people."
In a communiqué issued by his press office, Safadi also stressed that "the Resistance's arms should only be used to defend Lebanon against the Israeli enemy."
Full StoryHundreds of thousands of March 14 supporters gathered at Beirut's Martyrs Square on Sunday at a rally aimed at sending a message to the Hizbullah-led alliance about the people's rejection of the party's weapons.
Convoys could be seen across the country heading to the capital, blaring songs and displaying pictures in support of slain ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.
Full StoryCaretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Sunday that it was impossible for Hizbullah's arms to be raised against people longing for democracy and the truth and justice in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination case, as hundreds of thousands of March 14 supporters rallied at Beirut's Martyrs Square to commemorate the 6th anniversary of the Cedar Revolution.
"It is impossible for the arms to be toys thrown at our kids and for weapons to be raised against people longing for democracy," Hariri told a cheering crowd.
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said at the Cedar Revolution’s sixth anniversary on Sunday that the second Cedar Revolution won’t succumb until Hizbullah's "statelet" disappears.
Geagea addressed March 14 supporters gathered at Martyrs Square saying: “We only want the Lebanese state to govern; we won’t rest until the state within the state concept vanishes and the state is established.”
Full StoryCaretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Thursday that arms that are directed against what is just will fail as was demonstrated in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.
He said after a luncheon banquet in the honor of various religious clerics: “Any arms used against the people lose their legitimacy and even state weapons would lose their legitimacy if they do not serve the people and their interests.”
Full StoryHizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed on Thursday that the new majority in Lebanon did not prevent the March 14 camp from taking part in the new government.
He said: “We called for partnership from the start and we did not alter this position, but what is left of the March 14 camp rejected this partnership … They eliminated themselves from the new government and they have to assume the responsibility of their choice and not hold the new majority accountable for it.”
Full StorySpeaker Nabih Berri criticized the March 14 forces on Wednesday for lamenting their loss of power in the government, saying their campaign against Hizbullah’s arms contradicted with national principles.
In his weekly meeting with lawmakers at the parliament building, Berri reportedly stressed the need to form the government as soon as possible in order to face future challenges and solve problems such as shortage of water and power rationing.
Full StoryOutgoing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir reiterated that only Lebanon’s armed forces should carry weapons and described as abnormal the presence of arms in the people’s hands.
In remarks to al-Joumhouriah newspaper published Wednesday, Sfeir said: “We either have a state or we don't. Only the state should own weapons.”
Full StoryIranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi reiterated that Tehran backed an inter-Lebanese agreement to solve the country’s political crisis and stressed that Premier-designate Najib Miqati’s cabinet would not be one-sided.
“We support any agreement that the Lebanese achieve” among themselves, Salehi told al-Akhbar daily in an interview published Monday.
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