Geagea Doesn't See 'Same Hand' in Tripoli, Dahieh Blasts: We Can't be with Hizbullah in Same Cabinet
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Monday his political camp cannot join a cabinet comprising Hizbullah ministers at present, noting that he does not endorse the “hypothesis” that the Dahieh and Tripoli bombings were orchestrated by the “same hand.”
Asked in an interview on Future TV how to put an end to the series of bombings that have rocked several Lebanese regions, Geagea said: “The state must address the situation, as currently the state only comprises President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam, who must form a serious cabinet that should not be crippled, paralyzed or under the influence of intimidation.”
Asked about the structure of the sought cabinet, Geagea stressed that it is not possible at the moment to form a national unity government “for a simple reason, which is that Hizbullah has monopolized the national decision.”
"When the party decided to go fight in Syria, did it ask anyone about this strategic decision? Where was national unity back then? When it sent the Ayyoub drone into Israel, did it consult with its allies in cabinet about this decision? So practically, Hizbullah's actions contradict its statements," Geagea added.
"When the party erected checkpoints at Dahieh's entrances, did it consult with the security authorities?" Geagea asked rhetorically, stressing that "one can't sit at the moment with Hizbullah in the same cabinet, because it is now in a place that is so far away from the government.”
The LF leader reiterated his call for forming a “neutral cabinet” comprising no March 8 or March 14 members, which would “address people's affairs and take care of their living situations.”
Asked about Suleiman's call for forming an inclusive cabinet and reviving national dialogue, Geagea said: “We want a Lebanese government, and in order for it to be a Lebanese government, it cannot comprise Hizbullah given the party's foreign commitments, as how can Hizbullah be represented in the Lebanese government while it has troops fighting in Syria?”
"As to the dialogue table, MP Mohammed Raad has recently said that the Baabda Declaration was born dead, not to mention this camp's previous practices around the dialogue table," Geagea said.
He noted that "no real solutions can be reached around the dialogue table as some believe, because Hizbullah has already voiced its stance and its presence is no longer compatible with the presence of a state in Lebanon."
Turning to the deadly bombings that hit Dahieh and Tripoli, Geagea said he understands why some parties are saying that the same hand perpetrated all the terrorist acts, but noted that he does not endorse such a "hypothesis."
"Until further notice, I don't believe that the same hand orchestrated the Tripoli and Rweiss bombings. Let us await the investigation and see what it will reveal," Geagea said, adding that "the only indication" he has in this regard was "the latest attempt to plant bombs in Tripoli which was linked to ex-minister Michel Samaha's plot."
"I think the investigation must start from this indication," he added.
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