Hariri Says Won't Participate in Cabinet with Hizbullah Ministers, Assures State and Illegal Arms 'Cannot Coexist'

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Friday announced that he rejects taking part in a cabinet in which Hizbullah has representatives, stressing also the state and illegal weapons "cannot coexist."

"We will not participate in a council of ministers if Hizbullah has representatives in it,” Hariri said in a televised speech he gave during an Iftar banquet held by al-Mustaqbal Movement, revealing also that he has suggested forming a cabinet without his party's participation.

Hariri rejected calls asking him to return to Lebanon and head the new government.

“We have a premier-designate, Tammam Salam, and he has gained our trust and is capable of heading a new cabinet,” he assured. “Who wants to help in the cabinet's formation must cooperate with Salam.”

Speaker Nabih Berri had urged the head of Mustaqbal movement in July to return to Lebanon, pointing out that he is ready to reconsider Hariri's reappointment as a premier.

In his speech, Hariri tackled the issue of Hizbullah's weaponry, accusing Lebanese factions of “dragging Lebanon into turmoil.”

“The rockets that targeted the presidential palace and the ministry of defense are a terrorist message that aimed at overthrowing the Baabda Declaration.”

Two rockets fell in the Baabda area on Thursday evening, one of them near the presidential palace, in the third such incident in less than two months.

Hariri repeated what he had said in previous messages regarding holding Hizbullah responsible for the mounting tension in the country.

“The party has given itself the right to take crucial decisions without considering the Lebanese people's stances.”

Hariri assured, however, his rejection of enmity with any Lebanese faction: “We are looking forward to the day when relationships between the people of this country are upright in a real state where sects do not prevail over legitimacy.”

Hariri considered that the tension in the country is not recent and was not produced following the eruption of the war in neighboring Syria.

“It is an accumulation of several policies that made the state the weakest component in the country.”

Hariri reiterated al-Mustaqbal Movement's commitment to take part in national dialogue.

“Hizbullah said it is ready to take part in dialogue, and we tell the president that we too are ready.”

However, he pointed out: “Discussing a defense strategy based on the idea the Lebanon needs the resistance's weapons is an argument that has lost its validity for many reasons.”

He elaborated: “The weapons after the July 2006 war have become a force for pressure and a terrorizing mean against political foes. Since 2005, Hizbullah's weaponry has become a reason for national conflict and it cannot protect unity. It lacks unanimous consensus and the will of the majority and the party's weapons have caused the spread of more illegal arms and the appearance of the Resistance's Brigades.”

“Changing the direction of the weapons and using it now to kill the Syrian people raises many questions,” he added.

"The state and illegal weapons cannot coexist.”

But he rejected any possible future discourse accusing him of adopting these stances to pressure Hizbullah in parallel with the European Union's decision to blacklist the party.

“This has been our position since 2005 because what we care about is providing the necessary components for a state based on the principles established in the Taef Accord.”

The al-Mustaqbal Movement head praised President Michel Suleiman's statement on the Army day, describing it as “responsible.”

In a ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the army’s founding on Thursday, Suleiman criticized Hizbullah without naming it, saying it was time for the Lebanese state and the army to be the sole decision-makers on the use of the nation's capabilities

Regarding Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian crisis, Hariri said the party acts as if Syria's President Bashar Assad's regime “will stay in power forever.”

“But there is another theory that says Assad will not stay in power and that the regime will collapse,” he noted

“What will the party tell the Lebanese then? Will Hizbullah ask for adopting a disassociation policy towards the new Syrian regime?”

“Hizbullah's step to participate in the Syrian war was miscalculated.”

Addressing his supporters Hariri remarked: “You know that Bashar Assad has decided two years ago that the only solution to face the revolution in Syria is to accuse everyone against his regime of being an al-Qaida member. And of course, the Sunnis in Lebanon are part of this accusation.”

Hariri also assured that he stands by the state and by the military institution even when they commit mistakes.

“Even when the state does any wrong, we support it and even if the army has committed mistakes, we are behind the military institution. We do not have any other project but the state's.”

Timeline
  • 02 August 2013, 21:14

    Hariri: Even when the state does any wrong, we support it and even if the army commits mistakes, we are behind the military institution. We do not have any other project but the state's.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:13

    Hariri: Supporters of Rafik Hariri and his project for Lebanon reject violence and support the state only. It is a civil democratic movement.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:12

    Hariri to al-Mustaqbal Movement supporters: You know that Bashar Assad has decided two years ago that the only solution to face the revolution in Syria is to accuse everyone against him of being an al-Qaida member. And of course, the Sunnis in Lebanon are part of this failed attempt by Assad to describe them as Takfiris.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:10

    Hariri: Sacrifice with us for the people's sake. Participate in national dialogue sessions to solve the main problem.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:08

    Hariri: Hizbullah said it is ready ta take part in dialogue, and we tell the president that we too are ready.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:05

    Hariri: The issue of arms cannot be solved in the cabinet.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:05

    Hariri: Who wants to help in the cabinet's formation must cooperate with Salam.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:04

    Hariri: There are calls that want me to head the new cabinet. But we have a premier-designate, Tammam Salam, who has gained our trust and he is capable of heading a new cabinet.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:03

    Hariri: The difference between moderation and extremism is that instead of calling on the Lebanese to fight in Syria, we should urge them to reconcile inside Lebanon.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:01

    Hariri: We follow late Hariri's path. We want the military institution an army for all Lebanon without a partner and without the presence of other armed factions.

  • 02 August 2013, 21:01

    Hariri: When late PM Hariri was working on supporting the army, other factions were strengthening the presence of illegal weapons.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:59

    Hariri: Will Hizbullah ask for adopting a disassociation policy towards the new Syrian regime? Hizbullah's step to participate in the Syrian war was miscalculated.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:58

    Hariri: Hizbullah acts thinking that the Syrian regime will stay forever, but there is another theory that says Bashar Assad will not stay in power and the regime will collapse. What will the party tell the Lebanese then?

  • 02 August 2013, 20:57

    Hariri: The state is unable to hold parliamentary elections and to form a cabinet, and to provide the necessary quorum for the Constitutional Council's sessions.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:55

    Hariri: President Michel Suleiman has voiced a responsible stance that called for a revision of the defense strategy. His position meets other views in the country. We support this approach to illegal arms.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:52

    Hariri: Safety components will not be provided amid the presence of illegal arms.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:51

    Hariri: They will accuse us of adopting these stances to pressure Hizbullah in parallel with the EU's decision to blacklist the party. But this has been our position since 2005 because what we care about is providing the state with the necessary components based on the principles established by the Taef Accord.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:50

    Hariri: Since 2005, Hizbullah's weaponry has become a reason for national difference and it cannot protect unity. It lacks unanimous consensus and the will of the majority.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:49

    Hariri: Changing the direction of the weapons and using it now to kill the Syrian people raises many questions. What balance of forces are they talking about when Hizbullah is openly fighting alongside Bashar Assad's forces?

  • 02 August 2013, 20:48

    Hariri: Hizbullah's weapons have caused the spread of more illegal arms and the appearance of the Resistance Brigades.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:48

    Hariri: The weapons after the July 2006 war have become a force for political pressure and a terrorizing mean against political foes, just like what happened on May 7 and in Abra.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:47

    Hariri: Saying that a defense strategy is based on the idea the Lebanon needs the resistance's weapons is an argument that has lost its validity for many reasons.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:46

    Hariri: The political strategies based on elimination in Lebanon cannot lead anywhere.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:46

    Hariri: Despite everything we stress on our commitment to dialogue as a mean to contain sectarian tension. We never carried weapons or boycotted dialogue.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:44

    Hariri: There have been recent calls for dialogue to discuss the defense strategy. I don't know if this strategy would be used against the Syrian people or the Israeli enemy.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:43

    Hariri: How can we protect Lebanon from a breakdown amid the spread of illegal weapons in all Lebanese regions?

  • 02 August 2013, 20:42

    Hariri: Tension in the country is not recent and was not produced because of the events in Syria. But it is an accumulation of several policies that made the state the weakest component in the country amid the presence of weapons, that is used as if there were no president or a military institution, or national dialogue sessions that produced the Baabda Declaration.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:40

    Hariri: In the middle of the discussion on a defense strategy, Hizbullah took a unilateral decision to go through the July 2006 war, regardless of the state's presence. Hizbullah accused us of being traitors, did not have a responsible stance on the assassinations of March 14 leaders, decided to obstruct the work of the parliament, and besieged the Grand Serail, refused to hand over those accused of participating in Hariri's assassination, and it considered May 7, when its forces were deployed in many Lebanese regions, to be a holy day.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:38

    Hariri: From March 8 2005 until 2008 we took part in political dialogue and we agreed on avoiding vacuum in the presidency. We held the elections and formed a national unity cabinet. But after other factions reached out to the Syrian regime, all of these achievements were vanished.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:37

    Hariri: Do you remember how Hizbullah dealt with the assassination of late PM Hariri and the March 8 rally? On that day Hizbullah inflamed sectarian tension while we rallied on March 14, which was a national day.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:36

    Hariri: We do not want enmity with any Lebanese faction. We are looking forward to the day when relationships between the people of this country are upright in a real state where sects do not prevail over legitimacy.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:35

    Hariri: Weeks ago I held Hizbullah responsible for the mounting tension after it had given itself the right to take crucial decisions without taking into consideration the Lebanese people's stances.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:34

    Hariri: There are factions working on dragging Lebanon into turmoil and the rockets that targeted the presidential palace and the ministry of defense are a terrorist message that aimed at overthrowing the Baabda Declaration.

  • 02 August 2013, 20:33

    Hariri: For years we gathered in Ramadan at the residence of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri without mediators. Today we meet and geography is separating us because of the circumstances imposed on us.

Comments 39
Missing --karim_m3 02 August 2013, 20:43

Somebody look at his face and try suggesting that he hasn't been smoking crack all this time.

Missing helicopter 02 August 2013, 20:47

I looked at his face and at SHN face and concluded that SHN is on crack.

Default-user-icon Samson DiLayla (Guest) 02 August 2013, 21:30

Immature, really, as in the bayeh a2wah men bayak. alla ykabrak

Missing helicopter 02 August 2013, 22:52

Because ft believes that you have to sweet talk to HA so they give up their arms (or so he pretends). Him being offended by my post is the clearest indicator that he is HA first and fpm second/

Missing --karim_m3 02 August 2013, 21:06

Maybe Saad Hariri can also explain how him and his puppets amended the Lebanese inheritance laws after Rafik Hariri died to avoid paying all those taxes.

Thumb lebanon_first 02 August 2013, 21:26

Rafic Hariri has pulled tens of thousands of sunnite families out of poverty by sending their kids to college.
(yeah I know. some non sunnites too)

This caused a loyalty to Hariri from the sunni community that will not die anytime soon. Whatever happens. When rafic died (RIP), Saad inherited the loyalty of all those sunnite families.

HA in contrast is paying Iranian money to chiites by keeping them dependents and in a state of war. I dont recall an "Ayatollah scolarship". HA's keeping lebanese chiites constantly in need of his monthly stipend is perpetuating the dependance of the chiite community to HA.

Missing greatpierro 03 August 2013, 05:53

It is said that on average the Syrian looted Lebanon by 5 billion a year for 15 years. It is known that berri and jumblatt have filled their pockets.

Thumb lebanon_first 03 August 2013, 08:17

the 50billion went between country clubs for the army, syrian looting, Jumblat and berri thefts, Hariri and the gang thefts, useless overpropping for the lebanese pound. While the debt is in good part blamable on hariri's management and bet of a peace deal, you cannot blame the whole debt on him.

HA does hospitals and sends people to school to keep them dependant. They give their people fish.
Hariri gave his people higher education. THat is a fishing stick.

Thumb arzak-ya-libnan 03 August 2013, 19:51

im sorry Tiger, but you just dont know what you are talking about and are making a scenario up.. i do not need to go further than people in my village (Christian by the way) who never worked a single day in a Hariri company, and chose their own majors.
Please check your facts before posting.

Default-user-icon Dragio Fangarisse (Guest) 02 August 2013, 21:34

I could almost hear al-Mustaqbal al-Ta3ees ask cheikh Saad al-Haribi Telteyn al-Marajel: we are broooooooooooooke. Show us the money.

Default-user-icon Brasso Bilammay (Guest) 03 August 2013, 00:01

kalam. kalam. kalam. w bass. ma bakhodshi menko gheir kalam... as when the four innocent generals and Imad Marmal and Emile Lahoud and Suleiman Franjiyeh and Wiam Wahab... all killed Rafic Syria, Syria's best Rafic. They, no, not these they but those other they, told him those they were going to kill him... as was recorded on his secret pen recorder. As to who told him, the pen also let you know who, of course. But then cheikh al-Haribi is a real biggie as Rafic Syria was! Genius.

Thumb freedomarch 03 August 2013, 06:58

KHobz Frangesse m3affan: I can hear from here the sounds of the wisest man in your clan Finishing the letter F in the Alphabit in his Rawda,,,(6 inch Khobz Frangi M3afan Elsaghir) !!! So look in the mirror first...

Missing helicopter 02 August 2013, 22:53

bigjohn, Why is Hariri still in the KSA? The rest of M14 leaders are in Lebanon? ............ the best and brightest of M-14 are in their graves in Lebanon and Harriri would rather live little longer.

Missing helicopter 02 August 2013, 22:54

I am surprised you were able to notice that inside-the-man

Missing canadianadam 02 August 2013, 23:43

I agree Phoenix. Iftar shouldn't be used by Hariri or Hassan Nasralllah.

But I agree with hi message. No HA in the govt.

Missing cedars 03 August 2013, 03:15

@bigjohn: he is outside Lebanon because the Kawmiyeh who has Syria as their nation before Lebanon per Za3eem book, have assassinated all anti-syrian politicians. So in essence you and your followers militia have destabilized anything called a united nation.

Thumb Chupachups 03 August 2013, 05:38

LOL nice joke

Missing greatpierro 03 August 2013, 05:51

You know very well that berri and the Syrians were the main beneficiary of the looting that inflated so much the debt. Mind you a lage proportion of the debt could have been reimbursed had Lebanon economy continued to grow at the rates that it did under Hariri , Sanioura and Hariri junior i.e. an average of 8%. m8 is the one that brought about economic misery tomLebanon and to the Labanese.

Missing greatpierro 03 August 2013, 06:03

The discourse of Saad Hariri shows again he has good intentions. He had good intentions when he formed a national union government with competent politicians , he had good intentions by going to Syria and try to establish good relations with Assad (obviously it did I not work).

Know he shows us that he does not insist on being in the government but all he wants is a government that can steer away Lebanon from controversies and that reinforces the role of the government and its army. Compared to this M8 with its terrorist HA component wants, not only to be in the government but also the veto power with an unbalanced repartitions of ministerial seats and a refusal of the rotation of the ministerial seats.

Missing greatpierro 03 August 2013, 06:13

At no point mustaqbal supported Terrorist Assir or condemned the army role. In fact Terrorist Assir was always criticized heavily by Mustaqbal. Mustaqbal condemned the fact that:
- Terrorist Ha took taking part in the Abra clashes
- the army beating and killing under torture an arrested follower of Terrorist Assir (even though he is a terrorist and deserves death penalty)
- the fact that the army did not act soon enough avoiding the explosive situation in Abra by allowing both Terrorist Ha and Terrorist Assir to roam freely in Abra.

Thumb freedomarch 03 August 2013, 06:34

To the Rear Roar, Hariri Family never got a penny from your filthy (Wadi al zahab) (or Aoun's Rallies in Baabda) or (Hizebola Hashish/Drugs Holy Money) Deals ... Hariri Helped build my city, beirut, Tripoli etc etc ... Your bosses help ,, no did distroy ... never had a militia to contribute to your nasty wars.
Hariri gave up ... your bosses took and took and controlled and kidnapped and assassinated... Hariri never did any of these.

Thumb freedomarch 03 August 2013, 06:44

U_Latoui :
I guess the chemical weapons brought from your bosses in Syria are effecting you and your "Musardab:Mahdi" Sayed(3ala 7alou).. Hassan
So Please,,,, Check your self first.... We care that you don't play with weapons .. what happened in Homos yesterday showed that your friends don't know how to stack their arsenals well among innocent people... I Personnaly feel bad for them !!!

Default-user-icon Mikayla (Guest) 03 August 2013, 06:50

al-Mustaqbal funded and paid for groups to kills and attack the Lebanese People and Lebanese Army. al-Mustaqbal did nothing to liberate our land from the hands of the Zionist Israelis. al-Mustaqbal did nothing to free our prisoners from Israel let alone Syria. al-Mustaqbal has achieved nothing except breed terrorism in the camps and Sidon agains the people and army.

Default-user-icon Chris (Guest) 03 August 2013, 06:51

mustahbal can go to hell. The Lebanese (to be honest - mainly non-sunnis) don't want them in our government or in Lebanon nor do we want the Hariri family here either. They are a corrupt family who are advised by the rogue wolf & thief Saniora. Their days are being counted down & each prick will rot 6 feet under ground very very soon inshallah. al-Mustaqbal have no shame and no respect. They know nothing about democracy and no nothing about equal rights. You cant preach democracy to a party which doesn't practice what it preaches and who's leader lives in a nation (KSA) which doesn't respect other religions such as Christianity & other people and other peoples rights.

Default-user-icon Josephine (Guest) 03 August 2013, 06:55

bla bla bla bla. Sorry but Who is this camel looking guy with the Lebanese flag behind him? Why is he speaking from a Islamic country which doesn't respect the rights of other races and peoples? Why does he speak from a country which doesn't allow women to drive, let alone have their own bank account let alone vote? Who is this camel rider trying to fool? He can only fool his own followers because unfortunately they are mostly a bunch of sheep who originally come from poor peasant backgrounds. The Hariri & Saniora clan with the backing of Saudi Arabia have bred a new generation of Sunnis and other non-sunni puppets. They got Geagea out of jail to free the Islamic terrorists who killed the army in the Danniyeh. tfeeee.

Thumb freedomarch 03 August 2013, 07:01

You should be always surprised..Because the people you are following are not telling you the truth ... Seek and they shall find the truth;;; But the hatred blinds.

Thumb freedomarch 03 August 2013, 07:05

Are you for real? Inside man or inside the Khasih? What type of drugs you used during the Nahr al Bared fight? Remember who put the red lines? Remember who gave the grean ligh ? it seam that you are color, heart and logic blind....

Missing fuzzyd72 03 August 2013, 07:06

In any discussion that steers our country in a particular direction needs compromise. After all, who among our leaders have the entire solution to Lebanon's woes?

Anyone who belittles and berates a person or political party on this forum lacks the will and initiative to bring about change to Lebanon. Seriously, that's all we have been doing since Hariri's death and look where we are today.

You want to change Lebanon? Start here. Start with you. After all, if you don't change, what hope do we have?

Missing fuzzyd72 03 August 2013, 08:18

Wolf, I'm not if all of this is possible but your are right. Change is needed. Enough is enough..

Missing fuzzyd72 03 August 2013, 08:29

Wolf, I'm not sure if all of this is possible but your are right. Change is needed. Enough is enough..

Missing ___-wolf-___ 03 August 2013, 10:13

Fuzz
Then let us all Lebanese make a movement ! Everyone invited , let us all put our faith in our beloved LAF!!!!!!
Signed Wolf .....,,,,,,,!!!!!!!!!

Missing ___-wolf-___ 03 August 2013, 10:16

Totally agree with you FUZZ !!! + 1000 000 ......
Let us all make a move & call on the LAF !!!!! To take control of our Holy Cedar Land !!!!!
Signed Wolf ,,,...,..!!!!!!

Default-user-icon Kashdi Bangala (Guest) 03 August 2013, 10:47

Cheikh Saad al-Haribi Telteyn al-Marajil apparently is in an unenviable position to dictate another failed miscalculation in a long, meaningless speech of the highest alef beh boubeyeh quality where lies got mixed up with stupidities. What he is strongly relying on, and here I must praise GabbyMarch14 who is one influenced follower of cheikh Arreet 7akeh and his equally brilliant warrior Dr. Arreet 7akeh, is the definite fall of the "ASSad" regime one of these Wednesdays, added to it the flying away of "ASSad" the big bird himself, akid, akid, akid. takbir. "badna kebbeyet may eza betrido, w kem war2et ninex ya ekhwen" requested cheikh Arreet 7akeh. Ramadan karim to all Sannis.

Missing fuzzyd72 03 August 2013, 11:11

Wolf, do you think there are many like us? Enough of us to start a movement? Enough of us who put Lebanon's interests before their own? God bless Lebanon.

Default-user-icon Horratsio Gavrilawf (Guest) 04 August 2013, 04:51

Minibash, I just happened to be browsing and saw this comment of yours. I was so impressed by its depth that I decided to say to you: salutes, SIR. I cannot wait for the Bash to return to Lebanon from Israel. Perhaps then cheikh Saad al-Haribi Telteyn al-Marajil will meet him here at home and join hands with Dr. Arreet 7akeh, the arreet who byo2rot 7akeh like he arat everything the Bash left behind, to consolidate amn al moujtama3 al Sanni fawqa koul e3tibar.

Missing fuzzyd72 03 August 2013, 14:11

Wolf, Phoenix, FlameCatcher: is this the beginning of a moment?

Missing fuzzyd72 03 August 2013, 14:39

Movement' I mean.

Missing ___-wolf-___ 03 August 2013, 18:33

Fuzz of course there are , almost every family in Lebanon has a son in the Lebanese Security Forces! Can you imagine the movement at downtown Beirut ! Do you relise how many people will demonstrate for the LAF to replace the dysfunctional " caretaker " government ? All we need to do is to spread the news using any means including social media ! Why not , enough is enough we can do it !
Signed Wolf......!!!!!!!!

Default-user-icon ForLebanon (Guest) 04 August 2013, 06:14

Reading some of your comments makes me believe more and more that Lebanon will never be a free country.
Grow Up March 8 and March 14 ... Whats the difference any way? Both parties rob and steal from you people!
Yalla keep voting for them, they clearly have made a difference in the last 30 so years.
Miserably Pathetic...