Hariri Calls Jumblat 'in Line with Suleiman's Wish to Keep Dialogue Channels Open'
Former prime minister Saad Hariri on Thursday telephoned Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat “in line with President Michel Suleiman’s wish to keep dialogue channels open among the Lebanese parties,” the PSP’s media department said in a statement.
“The conversation was friendly and warm and tackled the current political developments,” said the statement.
Jumblat stressed to Hariri that “his only request is supporting the president and his persistent efforts to preserve stability and protect civil peace,” the statement added.
Last Thursday, Hariri lashed out at Jumblat, describing slain Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan as “the martyr of Lebanon” and slamming the Druze leader for refusing to resign from government.
“Walid Jumblat is quoting me as saying that Wissam al-Hasan is the martyr of the Sunni sect. This is untrue and his ally (PM Najib) Miqati is the one who said that. Wissam al-Hasan is the martyr of Lebanon,” said Hariri on the social networking website Twitter during Jumblat's live interview on LBCI television.
Jumblat snapped back immediately during the interview. “Great. If Miqati said that then he committed a mistake and let us consider Wissam al-Hasan the martyr of the Lebanese state,” he said.
Earlier during the interview, Jumblat said that Hariri had telephoned him and asked him to withdraw his ministers from the government.
“Hariri telephoned me and asked me to resign and I told him that I won't resign. He said the Sunnis are being killed and I told him that Wissam al-Hasan is the martyr of Lebanon and that I won't subject the country to vacuum. I also said other things and he was dismayed by my remarks,” Jumblat said.
“May God forgive you Walid Bek. You understand stability as staying in the Syrian-Iranian alliance, so congratulations,” Hariri tweeted.
Jumblat, for his part, said, “May God forgive him about all these remarks.”
Addressing the PSP leader, Hariri said: “Your partners in government are the ones who incited against him and accused him of treason like they accused Rafik Hariri.”
“From now on, I will not remain silent in the face of anyone,” Hariri vowed.
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