Jumblat Urges Army Support, Says 'Tripoli Clashes Will Not Solve Syria Crisis'

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat called on political parties in Tripoli to back the Lebanese Army's security plan, stressing that inflaming the northern city will not weaken the Syrian regime but will only “exhaust the army and allow direct Syrian army intervention in Lebanon's territory.”

“It is useless to inflame the front in Tripoli, as it will not affect the course of events in Syria,” pointed Jumblat in an interview to As Safir daily.

“All those who believe that sniper fire will weaken the Syrian regime are mistaken. It only exhausts the Lebanese army and drains its strength. Moreover it allows the Syrian army to intervene directly in Lebanon,” added Jumblat.

The army warned Friday that a plot was being hatched to embroil Lebanon in the 26-month Syrian conflict, as fresh clashes and sniper fire linked to Syria in Tripoli killed one person.

Moreover, Jumblat stressed the necessity to form a new a cabinet to move the conflict away from the streets to the government's table for discussion, stressing commitment to include Hizbullah in it “because no one can isolate or cancel the other.”

Efforts exerted by Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to form a new cabinet still face several roadblocks including the conflicts among politicians and the fighting in Tripoli and Hizbullah's involvement in Syria.

Nevertheless, the Druze leader called on Hizbullah to take into consideration the interests, security and stability of the Lebanese as well as the fate of thousands of expatriates working in the Gulf states.

Hizbullah fighters' public intervention alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops in the battle for the border town of Qusayr deepened political divisions inside Lebanon and threatened the interests of Lebanese working abroad.

Hizbullah's involvement drew strong international condemnation and the European Union opened the door to adding Hizbullah's military wing to its list of international terrorist groups.