Officials Denounce Haret Hreik Blast amid Call for Unity
Lebanese officials denounced on Tuesday a suicide attack that targeted Haret Hreik district, a Hizbullah stronghold, which was rocked by a similar blast in early January.
Officials called on the Lebanese to united, considering that the attack targets Lebanon as a nation and not only Dahiyeh.
President Michel Suleiman condemned the terrorist attack in Haret Hreik, considering that “violence only leads to more violence.”
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati urged officials to cooperate and confront the ordeal, calling on officials to meet on common grounds to face the dangerous situation in the country.
PM-designate Tammam Salam described the bombing as a “hideous terrorist act,” calling for “fortifying the local political and security situation.”
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed that Lebanon entered “the circle of madness,” considering that the “takfiries are aggravating their terrorism.”
The blast left scores of casualties.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea offered his condolences to the victims and families, considering that the authorities should swiftly end the security chaos across the Lebanese-Syrian border to prevent gunmen from crossing over into Lebanon and vice-versa.
Meanwhile, Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel voiced a notable stance, calling for holding "a national conference aimed at immunizing Lebanon against these takfiri movements, because it has become the victim of a certain approach that is destroying our national unity and aggravating conflicts.”
“This national conference would support and strengthen the security agencies so that they become an effective tool in combating these takfiri movements that are tampering with our security and stability.”
He earlier said that “Lebanon as a whole is the victim of bombings and not only Hizbullah.”
Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh slammed the attack, saying that “innocent people are paying the price of terrorism.”
AMAL Movement Caretaker Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said that the “battle with terrorism is open.”
He pointed out that “terrorists want to create chaos in the country with no other aim but kill.”
Caretaker Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi said in comments that "security agencies should coordinate among each other to preserve the security situation."
He also called for the end the strong rhetoric.
Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora urged all political parties to adopt the policy of dissociation for Lebanon's interest.
The Baabda Declaration was unanimously adopted during a national dialogue session in June 2012. It calls for Lebanon to disassociate itself from regional crises, most notably the one in Syria.
Hizbullah MP Ali Ammar condemned the Dahiyeh blast, accusing Israel of being behind the bombing.
He said that “the explosion aims at undermining the country's security, unity and civil peace.”
Later, Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani said the blast is a sign that plotters will blow up every attempt to restore security in the country.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi also denounced the blast, calling for prioritizing dialogue and brotherhood between the Lebanese.
The blast is the sixth in a string targeting Hezbollah-dominated areas since the group announced it was sending fighters to support President Bashar Assad's troops in neighboring Syria.
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