Berri Says March 8 Will Not Budge an Inch on Resistance, Calls for Agreement
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri expressed resentment on Wednesday over the failure of the ministerial panel drafting a government policy statement to reach agreement over controversial issues, adding that March 8 coalition is holding onto the resistance clause.
“The remaining timeframe for the panel to draft the policy statement ends next week,” Berri warned in comments published in As Safir newspaper, calling on all sides to exert efforts to find common grounds.
Berri said that if the constitutional timeframe for drafting Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet's policy statement ends then he will inform “President Michel Suleiman on Tuesday morning that the cabinet is considered resigned and binding consultation must be carried out to name a new Premier.”
The constitutional deadline for the cabinet to draft it's policy statement to refer it to the parliament for confidence vote ends on March 17 as PM Salam is warning that the row over the resistance article is threatening to topple the cabinet.
The Speaker, who is Hizbullah's ally, described the debate at the panel between the political arch foes over the resistance article as a “farce.”
He stressed that the March 8 alliance will not compromise concerning the resistance.
Asked about calls for the state to control the resistance, Berri wondered if those who suggested such a proposal understand the danger of such calls.
“Israel would then have an excuse to attack the state and its headquarters... If such a proposal happened then the state and the resistance would vanish,” head of the AMAL movement pointed out.
Berri noted that if “Salam's cabinet was a national interest government then the rival parties shouldn't squander the resistance.”
On Tuesday, the ministerial committee's 10th session failed to resolve the ongoing dispute over the resistance clause.
The committee referred the issue to the cabinet, which will convene on Thursday to take the appropriate stance on the matter, said the premiership.
12 March 2014, 08:17
1418
“Israel would then have an excuse to attack the state and its headquarters... If such a proposal happened then the state and the resistance would vanish,” head of the AMAL movement pointed out.
What distorted logic! The only reason Berri does not want the fake resistance under state control is because he is afraid Israel will attack the State....lol. How patriotic, how logical, how convincing! So when Israel attacks the so called resistance, shouldn't the Lebanese army respond, and when it responds what do you think Israel will do? I am afraid Israel does not care about you or your logic. Israel will attack everything that moves in Lebanon when and if it is attacked.
12 March 2014, 10:59
2013
M14 has become a worse enemy to Lebanon than Israel. Bravo guys, you deserved the title of "useful goyims"
12 March 2014, 11:05
2013
and berri's comment makes a lot of sense, the resistance has been taking all the heat and thus preserving the state.
indeed israel would not hesitate a second to wipe out the defense ministry and government headquarters, among other things, in any conflict they could start at any moment they want.
12 March 2014, 12:46
1314
To determine who's the true enemy of Lebanon, you should look at the amount of damage, crimes and atrocities caused by any party.
There is no doubt Israel is en enemy.
However, Hezbollah has been the largest criminal organisation in the country. They have ignored or our laws and sovereignty. They have handicapped our economy. They have blocked our political processes. They have attracted wars from Israel and Takfiris to Lebanon. They support the criminal regime of Bashar el Assad.
Isn't Bashar an enemy of Lebanon ? Where were you when the entire country including AOUNIES were calling for Syria to pullout of the country ? Bashar and his father have caused more harm to Lebanon than the sum of all israeli aggressions!
M8 does not enjoy the monopoly of defining who our enemies are when they are the first the align themselves with forces that have done everything possible to KILL LEBANON and turn it into a lawless criminal haven !
12 March 2014, 15:19
1210
one of two things:
- either hizbushaitan falls in under the state authority, or
- based on the trilogy they are insisting on, legally each Lebanese has the right to be armed to resists occupation.
now while some consider they are still resisting Israel, we are sure we are resisting the Iranian invasion of our country.
would hizbushaitan agree to that?
12 March 2014, 15:37
119
I agree Geha !
Let's create Christian, Sunni and Druze armies to all resist Israel together!
I'm sure Hezbollah has nothing to say about that :)
12 March 2014, 16:15
812
.mowaten. you think these 'people' represent m14? m14 wouldn't accept them if they were the few last people on earth.
they're usually magnitudes more reasonable, composed, eloquent, polite, mhazzab, and intellectually deep than these bozos.
12 March 2014, 16:19
1213
"Where were you when the entire country including AOUNIES were calling for Syria to pullout of the country ?"
loooooool habibi i was on martyrs square, and the night we pushed through the police barricades i was on the front line.
but you know what? all this was the end, not the begging of it. i was protesting since 2003 against the syrian presence, and got beaten up for it and did it again. so trust me, i'm not taking any patriotism lessons from a goon like you. who probably just woke up on march the 14 and went for a stroll because it suddenly became trendy and presented no risk.
12 March 2014, 16:19
1213
the point still remains, that once syria went out, it stopped being my enemy, and no, despite your claims, syria didnt harm Lebanon nearly as much as israel. Syria stopped the civil war and prevented Lebanon from falling to either Palestinians or zionists, and despite them seeking to take advantage from us, they never thought of eliminating us or ethnically cleansing us. the harm and potential danger are nowhere near comparable.
13 March 2014, 09:59
05
mowaten was protesting the syrian occupation because he wanted the iranians to come in!
12 March 2014, 08:46
1210
Berri,
That means there is no chance of this armed group ever integrating or being under the control of LAF or the government.
Saying that the Israelis will vanish the government & the armed group. Don't you think this armed group would of been vanished along time ago?
Stop the scare tactics. The armed group remains under the guide of Lebanese government, the lifting of the word terrorist group will be removed by the country's that label it as one.
Let's be logical here shall we.
12 March 2014, 09:07
1210
Berri,
If your saying that march 8 won't nudge or compromise, then why should m14?
Both sides should tip toe crawl & if so drag their feet to the middle. Giving & taking until a compromise is finally reached.
Let's say march 14 does the first step willing to compromise will march 8 move next? I doubt!
A stubborn child is not willing to compromise & share his lollies or toys. Not even willing to hand them over to his parents or teacher.
12 March 2014, 11:07
1812
when and if the LAF becomes strong enough to be a deterrent to tsahal, this would not be a problem.
trying to eradicate the resistance BEFORE that, and before any solid defense strategy is developed and implemented, is the problem. a time of void where neither the resistance not the army would be in situation of deterrence, would be bliss for tsahal. you can be almost certain that this exact moment would be the D-Day of the next israeli war against us, and we would stand no chance thanks to the diligent efforts of M14 to strip us naked.
12 March 2014, 22:22
72
Mowaten,
Why are we expecting another war with Israel?
Israel will only go to war against the aggressor (2006).
Why has Israel shown no aggression towards Egypt or Jordan? Is it because of there mighty deterrent army?
12 March 2014, 22:45
62
Israel will only seek peace with a state & a government, not an aggressor.
With peace with Egypt Israel handed Sinnai back no? Sinnai is larger than Lebanon! No?
The armed group is not the whole government & Israel will continue to pose a threat to this group.
12 March 2014, 08:58
145
Berri's logic is:
State+Resistance (under state control) v.s Israel--- Result: both State and Israel will vanish
Resistance (alone not under state control) v.s Israel--- Result: Israel will vanish/Divine Victory
12 March 2014, 08:59
1516
Berri's logic is:
State+Resistance (under state control) v.s Israel--- Result: both State and Resistance will vanish
Resistance (alone not under state control) v.s Israel--- Result: Israel will vanish/Divine Victory
Sorry, now corrected.
12 March 2014, 09:39
712
Why can't there be a referendum about the future role of the resistence ? Let the Lebanese themselves decide whether they want to keep Hizbollahs weapons or integrate them in the army ? This would be the best solution !!
12 March 2014, 09:45
1313
NO and a thousand NO to anything remotely connected to the resistance. We are not in a state of war even with Israel. Berri's and HA resistance brought nightmares onto us for the last 15 years and alienated the majority of the Lebanese to the point where they long for the day this nightmare is over. The country's defense lies only with the army. If the argument is the army is not enough/ready to fully protect the country, then ask for a UN/Arab military secondment under chapter 7 of the UN for a period say of 10 years during which the lebanese build and equip an army we all can be proud of. This military force will be under Lebanese army command. The resistance in its present sectarian form and foreign agenda has divided the Lebanese more than it unified them. Enough of fooling ourselves and betraying the future generations...
12 March 2014, 09:57
67
Berri does have a small point. Last war in 2006 Israel attacked Lebanese Air Force radar bases along the coast of Lebanon but didn't attack the main army bases - as the Lebanese army did not respond Israel didn't hit it hard.
If the army and the resistance are under one umbrella Israel will destroy every Lebanese army base in the country and kill tens of thousands of soldiers in the process in addition to thousands of Hezbollah members not to mention civilians.
If the state controls the resistance, I imagine no attack from Israel will take place as the government will never authorize a strike against Israel anyway thus solving the problem in the first place because Israel won't attack unless its purposefully provoked.
M14 point of view is temporarily correct in this case.
12 March 2014, 10:13
1412
That might have been the case in 2006, and I attribute that to the Saniora government which did everything possible through its good relations with the west to spare the Lebanese army the brunt of the Israeli strikes. If you read Israeli military commanders statements over the last 2 or 3 years, it becomes evident they have no intention of sparing the lebanese army or its infrastructure in any future war. The Israelis now view the army as a partner with HA and its command and culture infiltrated by HA.
12 March 2014, 16:06
710
you think israel cares for reason? if they want something, like say the south, then they will take it for the smallest of reasons they'd justify with immeasurable propaganda sent worldwide to support their actions(as they have killed tens of thousands of people, bombed or bulldozed thousands of thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, you name it!). Just two days ago they killed a jordanian judge because 'he was reaching for a gun', the guy doesn't even know how to use one and it seems the reason was over a dispute involving a cigarette! but they'll twist it however way they like buddy.
they are NOT to be trusted, and i'd never trust them for peace. Just see jordan and how they double-crossed it and took jerusalem, or egypt who can't even enter the sinai without israeli permission. face it, HA has been a deterrent since it knows that hundreds of thousands of rockets are pointed right at it in case it does anything far-fetched.
12 March 2014, 10:15
413
amazing how some people are terrorized from Israel , Israel will do that , Israel will destroy this ,....and so on
Israel has been doing this since 1948 way before the Lebanese resistance was born
btw when there was Palestinian resistance and Lebanon was destroyed for 3 times arabs and some Lebanese blessed this Palestinian resistance and even reached a stage that Yasser Arafat was the real president of Lebanon , why this mouthes that shout now did not say nothing then once nelson mandela said :
apartheid states are doomed to live in fear and to disappear eventually
12 March 2014, 10:48
114
instead of crying that the army is weak and israel can cause mayham ,its time to give our army the most sophisticated defence weapons
only defencive weapons anti aircraft , anti tank , anti ship missiles , ..
and then we will see if the israelies are mighty enough to dare hit Lebanon with a rose
god bless Lebanon and god bless its army
12 March 2014, 10:51
1311
Keep on defending the Jews ..The truth is they are an enemy of Lebanon.
12 March 2014, 11:52
1313
Now M14 lads, i think it's time to resign and call Geagea to apologize...
12 March 2014, 13:02
1316
Cedre, Geagea is right, was right, and will always be right. The man has conviction like no other. He really understands the gimmicks of the terror party. You cannot be true to yourself and to those who believe in you by making compromises with a group of terrorists who are born with a foreign agenda.
12 March 2014, 16:18
1011
tsk tsk tsk, did your school never teach you lebanese history? HA came out of necessity, not a foreign agenda. you're giving us clues, convincing us more and more by the day that... something just isn't right with you. can't really put my finger on it, but you're definitely ... different, a stranger of sorts trying to impose something. real weird.
12 March 2014, 12:05
1010
(1). "Berri Says March 8 Will Not Budge an Inch on Resistance, Calls for Agreement". This title should be more like, "Berri Says March 8 Will Not Budge an Inch on the destruction and demise of Lebanon, Calls for Agreement to continue the destruction of the nation".
Clearly this is definitely not about the wellbeing of the nation nor the state, Berri still adopts selfish positions, positions that prioritize the interests of what was known as the resistance and at the expense of the Lebanese State. What is now beginning to emerge is this, that a real tug of war is taking place between those who have the state first, i.e led by president Suleiman and those who simply don't care for the state and its people, as represented by its many ugly heads like Berri.
12 March 2014, 12:07
1313
(2). The stage is wow well set for a political showdown between a side that is not used to being denied to whatever it wants, (the word NO doesn't exist in its dictionary) and a president a lot more stubborn than anticipated, who when he says NO, it means a clear NO. Suleiman has repeatedly shown that he is not one to be drawn red lines, like that notorious one by Sayed Hassan at the onset of the Nahr El Bared battle. God bless you Mr. president, stick to your guns, we are on your side.
12 March 2014, 12:23
1212
Imagine this old furniture that is long overdue for change still leads in Lebanese politics. Imagine that the Lebanese are still being by those same so called independence leaders that took us from one war to the other, both Christians, Shiites, Sunnis, Druze, Aalawites etc..., we are still led by these old fixtures like Berri. What falls off their diner tables can feeds thousands of Lebanese, the people struggle, when these utter crooks live like Nababs, lives are that sinfully sumptuous, bank accounts that are sinful, assets even more sinful. These crooks are not here for the interest of the people, but for their own enrichment and tenure of absolute power. It's a country of herders and sheep.
12 March 2014, 15:47
39
What a joke ... Is this guy serious, and we still elect him as a parliament head ... i think we need a big shake up .. How can a citizen put a militia's interest over the country and say for the sake of the country we need to keep them .. It is time for this guy and others to retire and go somewhere very far .. beleive me if they leave no one will care ...
12 March 2014, 16:07
514
How can a citizen put a militia's interest over the country
he's not doing that, it's a matter of perspective really. but yeah, all of them retiring ain't a bad idea.
12 March 2014, 23:26
01
Sempre, i totally understand but none of those politicians thinks about Lebanon as an independent entity, they all think about what they want before putting the countries interest first. We have an Army, let's focus on the army why should we focus on a militia and put it before the army.And make rules to make it a focus on them before Lebanon ..
12 March 2014, 17:13
54
gcc,
Berri was not elected as Parliament head. He was imposed as Parliament head by his military wing (HA). Amal and HA got each other's back.
12 March 2014, 23:28
02
Helicopter ... my bad i forgot that he was imposed as a parliament head ... i think everyone in this countries political movements needs to be reshuffled. I was born and the same names were in power, damn i am close to 40 and they are still in power .. Now that is a problem ...
12 March 2014, 15:58
46
Yes, of course, they cannot compromise on placing the "resistance" in the policy statement. Without it, all that Hezbollah does in Lebanon and with its world wide operations loses the imprimatur of legality that the reference in the policy statement gives it. A huge source of money derived from illicit means and sources becomes jeopardized for the oligarchy that is now Hezbollah.
12 March 2014, 15:59
44
Lebanon has become for Hezbollah what the US Mafia had sought to achieve in Cuba before Castro ruined all of those plans. A sovereign state to protect a world wide criminal enterprise.
12 March 2014, 17:15
01
isn't berri supposed to be a centrist ? looks like he is the biggest hezballah defender
12 March 2014, 18:20
00
Good Morning All;
I see three options here:
1). Like stated above, have a national referendum on the policy statement:
A). Do you favor having the Army,People,Resistance in the policy statement
or
B). Country,people,unified defense?
2). Agree to the Army,People,Resistance equation with the stipulation that those that are pressing for this policy commit funds to an account that when Israel (and Israel only) causes damages to any legitimate Lebanese institution, those funds are used for reconstruction projects and only in areas that Hizthrowup has no control of. We know Iran is good for it.
3). Have a referendum on whether Southern Lebanon should be a temporary automomous region with it's own localized governor and Hizthrowup providing police, border patrol, social services and all government functions for that area. UNIFIL will still control the Blue Line to the Litani River and the autonomous region will encompass an agreed upon area stated in the referendum.
12 March 2014, 19:10
23
27/07/2012 - Le membre du comité fondateur du Courant patriotique libre, l’ingénieur Ziad Abs, a mené sur la LBC une attaque contre chaque composante du gouvernement, où le CPL détient pourtant dix portefeuilles. Le président Berry travaille selon la méthode du fromagisme, c’est ce que nous refusons ».Contrairement à Nabih Berry, « nous n’utilisons pas notre base populaire pour exercer des pressions sur le gouvernement afin d’élargir la part du gâteau qui nous reviendrait.. Quoi qu’il en soit, ce que nous dénonçons, c’est le fromagisme du vol, la corruption et la mainmise sur le butin de l’État, comme le révèlent les cas des caisses du Conseil du Sud et des déplacés du village de Brih, où des parts du budget sont allouées pour des projets jamais réalisés.
12 March 2014, 19:13
22
Abs s’en est pris ensuite au Hezbollah, dont l’alliance avec le CPL est officialisée depuis la signature du document d’entente en 2006. « Cette alliance avec le camp qui détient des armes nous a fait perdre alors 20 % de notre base chrétienne, nous remarquons aujourd’hui que le Hezbollah n’est pas prêt à abandonner une parcelle de terrain à Lassa (propriété du patriarcat maronite à Jbeil, squattée par les chiites partisans du Hezbollah), ce qui montre que la seule préoccupation du Hezbollah est de ménager les relations chiites-sunnites et les intérêts interchiites, au détriment de la lutte contre la corruption prévue par le document d’entente, ce sont les régions du Hezbollah qui couvent les mafias des moteurs, les réseaux de falsification, de rapts pour rançon et les impôts prélevés à certains commerces, comme on en voit en banlieue sud.»
12 March 2014, 19:14
22
Il a appelé ainsi le Hezbollah à « s’impliquer dans la réforme et dans le redressement des institutions, faute de quoi il perdrait sa raison d’être et dénaturerait la résistance, que nous continuons tous de saluer ».
12 March 2014, 22:01
53
Iran Logic-101, Twisted Logic, opium for the masses.... Neither Iran, Syria or H.A. gives a flying kiss about Lebanon, Lebanese army, Lebanese institutions, Lebanese culture... First blow was the alleged 2006 war against Israel which they, go figure, claim victory which decimated Lebanon and now the fighting in Syria. Why doesn't the mighty Iranian army fight instead of H.A.?
12 March 2014, 22:14
51
Southern
Look outside the box, has Israel shown aggression to Egypt or Jordan?
Oh you mean preserve the armed groups survival?
13 March 2014, 00:10
13
I understand the benefit to resisting Israel with an irregular army. The problem is the HA is more than resistance and have used their arms inward both literally and as a bargaining tool (intimidation). They also are causing issues by their involvement in Syria. Their involvement in Syria has nothing to do with Israel and is totally sectarian. Between this and using their arms inward over telephone lines, they have lost credibility as a resistance. They forgot to be humble.
13 March 2014, 00:13
13
I don't agree with the speakers excuse. It's a lame one. But I think he only gave it simply because he cannot offer the real one which is: it's unknown where the loyalty of half of the state is given to.
13 March 2014, 11:15
00
Israel has more than 200 nuclear bombs that could erase the 250 million arabs in 30 minutes, and Berri wants to give lessons of resistance ? I am not afraid to die to protect my country, but I cannot be UNREALISTIC and menace Goliath all day long. Moreover, I menace the guy next door and my apartment is broken all over. I do not have windows, no water, I did not pay my electricity bill, I have people I do not know who installed themselves in my apartment, and they are many. Worse is that I have two kids who deal drugs at home.
13 March 2014, 11:15
00
They should stop their cinema act and stop treating all lebanese as idiots. All know that the hashish business does the rules in lebanon. 5 million cigarettes of Hashish were smoked daily in Egypt that went from bekaa to shebaa farms to Israel to Egypt. But since 5 years, knesset green party members are complaining. The 100 grams of hash in bekaa is $50 and in Israel was 200 in 2009, today it is $1500. Egypt closed the tunnels in Gaza since Morsi and the Hash stopped.
The israelis found themselves as consumers so they started planting weed themselves. Who should nag now? the guys in control of the bekaa.
The only REALISTIC attitude when David wages war on Goliath, is when david is a friend of goliath and simulating.
13 March 2014, 14:09
00
2- Israel has more than 200 nuclear bombs that could erase the 250 million arabs in 30 minutes, and Berri wants to give lessons of resistance ? I am not afraid to die to protect my country, but I cannot be UNREALISTIC and menace Goliath all day long. Moreover, I menace the guy next door and my apartment is broken all over. I do not have windows, no water, I did not pay my electricity bill, I have people I do not know who installed themselves in my apartment, and they are many. Worse is that I have two kids who deal drugs at home.
13 March 2014, 14:10
00
3-They should stop their cinema act and stop treating all lebanese as idiots. All know that the hashish business does the rules in lebanon. 5 million cigarettes of Hashish were smoked daily in Egypt that went from bekaa to shebaa farms to Israel to Egypt. But since 5 years, knesset green party members are complaining. The 100 grams of hash in bekaa is $50 and in Israel was 200 in 2009, today it is $1500. Egypt closed the tunnels in Gaza since Morsi and the Hash stopped.
The israelis found themselves as consumers so they started planting weed themselves. Who should nag now? the guys in control of the bekaa.
The only REALISTIC attitude when David wages war on Goliath, is when david is a friend of goliath and simulating.
13 March 2014, 17:13
00
It is that same lame uneducated attitude you carry all you lives. If I am not waging war on Israel does not imply being 'their' anything. I will close the border, especially the hashish parade, and cement a huge wall. AND I will take care of my country and build it from zero, with tribunals, law, education, health, etc etc. Excuse me but your dignity to me , is called stupidity, especially that it has been decades rolling. So keep your dignity in your pocket, and build a country with education.
