Hariri Urges 'Army Border Force, Anti-Terror National Conference'

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri called Tuesday for the creation of an army “border force” and the holding of an “anti-terror national conference,” a day after eight suicide bombers targeted the Bekaa border town of al-Qaa in an unprecedented attack.

“Solidarity with our people in the Bekaa town of al-Qaa is solidarity with the right of the Lebanese to sovereignty over their land and their rejection of the terrorist storm that claimed the lives of innocent citizens who have nothing to do with the axes of wars and sedition in the region,” said Hariri in a statement.

Five people were killed and 28 others were wounded in pre-dawn and evening attacks in the predominantly Christian town.

“I raise my voice in condemnation of this crazy terrorist attack that only aims at killing freely, offending Islam and Muslims and stirring sentiments in order to spread discord in all directions,” Hariri warned.

“To confront the risks coming from the Syrian war, we can only emphasize the exclusive role of the State and its security and military forces in fighting the plague of terrorism that is slipping into our country,” he added.

“The Lebanese army and security forces are solely responsible for protecting the borders and ensuring the security and safety of all Lebanese,” the ex-PM stressed.

He reminded that “for more than two years now” his movement has been calling for “an official plan to deal with the repercussions of the Syrian exodus and for a decision that enables the army to form a border force tasked with isolating Lebanon from the Syrian fire.”

“We also called for a national conference to formulate 'Lebanon’s declaration' in the face of extremism and terrorism,” he added.

“Today I reiterate the call for a national stance that overcomes all political considerations and loyalties and makes the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese prevail over any external interest and links,” the former premier urged.

He cautioned that there is no other way to protect Lebanon except through “comprehensive discipline under the ceiling of the higher national interest, the State and the military and security forces.”

“Otherwise, Lebanon will remain an arena for intervention, infiltration and sabotage,” he said.

“Lebanon’s strength is in the cohesion of its people and the unity of the Lebanese stance in support of the State and its legitimate institutions, not in unilateral decisions and in importing wars to our land,” Hariri went on to say.

Al-Qaa and the nearby Ras Baalbek are the only two towns with a Christian majority in the predominantly Shiite Hermel region, where Hizbullah holds sway.

The group has sent thousands of its fighters to Syria to bolster President Bashar Assad's forces against rebels and jihadist extremists trying to topple him.

Several deadly bombings have targeted Hizbullah's strongholds in the eastern Bekaa region and Beirut's southern suburbs since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Most of the attacks were claimed by extremist groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State.

The attacks killed scores of civilians and wounded hundreds.

Y.R.