Zahle MPs Urge Suleiman, Miqati to Ask Hizbullah to Remove Its Telecom Grid
Zahle's MPs on Monday called on President Michel Suleiman and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati to ask Hizbullah to remove its controversial telecom network from their city.
“The region is characterized by harmony and interaction among all the Bekaa residents and we will launch an initiative out of our faith in our unifying political role,” Lebanese Forces bloc MP Tony Abou Khater said at a news conference, reciting a statement issued by Zahle's lawmakers.
“We tell Hizbullah's military and political officials that Zahle is a city of peace ... What is the use from extending the grid to Zahle?” the statement added.
“It is a pretext for you to invade public property and stir security disturbances,” it said, in reference to Hizbullah.
The MPs noted that the installation of the network is “part of Hizbullah's security grip on the Lebanese society and its tapping of phone calls.”
“Out of our faith in the state and its sovereignty and in the army and all security forces, we urge President Michel Suleiman and caretaker PM Najib Miqati to enforce the law immediately and ask Hizbullah to dismantle the grid. We stress that we won't allow Hizbullah's network to go through Zahle,” they added.
“After crossing all the red lines in Syria, Hizbullah is pressing on with its violations” in Lebanon, the lawmakers went on to say.
“We must all close ranks if there is a threat from the Israeli enemy, but Zahle is not (the southern bordert town of) Maroun al-Ras,” said the statement.
It added: “Legitimacy is our weapon, that's why we're calling for the implementation of laws and we can't contain the public opinion's reactions all the time.”
But the MPs pointed out that they do not intend to “escalate the situation,” adding that they want to turn Zahle into “the bastion of legitimacy.”
For his part, Phalange bloc MP Elie Marouni, another Zahle representative, told reporters: “We did not aggrieve anyone and we didn't stir a clash. Huge cables were brought and a maintenance operation does not require all those cables. The cables were extended before we were elected as MPs and the telecom minister provided them with political cover."
"The same as they are keen on the resistance's telecommunications, we are also keen on our privacy, and the same as some parties are installing cables, other parties might remove them," Marouni threatened.
"Where are those who had signed MOUs with Hizbullah? This is an assault on Zahle and we won't remain silent," he warned.
"We are fed up with the insults and we also have 'black shirts.' We can dismantle cables and install other cables," Marouni went on to say.
Tensions were running high in Zahle after members of Hizbullah attempted to expand the party's telecommunications network in the area on Sunday evening.
Residents of the city protested the move and temporarily blocked the road in the area.
The army soon intervened and set up checkpoints in the industrial zone and security forces deployed patrols in the city, which led to Hizbullah's withdrawal from the area.
Soon after however, some 15 party gunmen in a white van returned to the vicinity of the Mar Charbel church, according to media reports.
The locals staged a sit-in in front of the church and were joined by MPs Abou Khater, Marouni and Joseph al-Maalouf.
There was an uproar in October 2011 when Hizbullah allegedly attempted to expand its telecommunications network in the Tarshish region on the outskirts of Zahle.
The residents thwarted the attempts and Telecommunications Ministry at the time denied any party actions in the region.
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