Hizbullah Rejects Engaging in Spat with Mustaqbal despite Sharp Rift

Hizbullah is determined not to get involved in a verbal spat with al-Mustaqbal Movement, calling on the March 14 alliance to end its “adventures” and “have the honor to join the battle against takfiris.”

“The resistances today is fully ready and equipped today,” al-Joumhouria quoted sources close to Hizbullah as saying on Tuesday.

The sources reiterated calls on the March 14 coalition to “join the battle to defend Lebanon.”

“The army, people, resistance formula allowed Lebanon to accomplish what the (international) coalition against the Islamic State group failed to achieve in Iraq and Syria.”

The sources pointed out that Lebanon “was able to prevent ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) from invading the country by depending on its army and resistance.”

Al-Liwaa newspaper reported that Hizbullah's leadership will not respond to Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq's latest statement, considering that State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohammed's stance is enough.

A war of words occurred between al-Mashnouq and Fneish, who are affiliated to al-Mustaqbal movement and Hizbullah respectively, after the Interior Minister lashed out at the party during a memorial commemorating the assassination of General Wissam al-Hassan in 2012.

Mashnouq told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Tuesday that he had previously conveyed his point of view to several officials including Army Intelligence chief Brigadier General Edmond Fadel and Hizbullah Liaison and Coordination Officer Wafiq Safa.

The al-Mustaqbal official said on Saturday that “the security plan in Lebanon failed due to the implementation of partisan immunity,” accusing security forces of targeting the Sunnis in Lebanon.

He rejected attempts to turn his party into Sahwa leaders, a network of Sunni tribal fighters created by the U.S. in 2005-2006 to combat al-Qaida in Iraq

In his strong rhetoric statement Mashnouq accused a security institution without naming it of being biased to Hizbullah.

Fneish lashed out at Mashnouq, rejecting any security balance.

“Areas that don't support takfiris or attack the army shouldn't be equal to groups that carry out such acts.”

Sources close to the March 14 alliance told al-Liwaa that Mashnouq's statement indicates that he “had enough.”

“Hizbullah violated all its commitments with the interior ministry and its branches... and didn't cooperate.”

The sources, however, considered that the verbal spat will not impact the cabinet.

H.K.

G.K.