Mustaqbal Says Nasrallah 'Rules of Engagement' Remarks 'Disregarded People Will, Breached 1701'

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday described the remarks of Hizbullah's secretary-general on disavowing the rules of engagement in the conflict with Israel as a “unilateral stance that disregarded the people's will and breached the international resolutions,” as it condemned the deadly bombing of a Lebanese bus in Syria.

Describing the bomb attack that killed six Lebanese citizens as “blind, evil terrorism,” the bloc said “this condemned incident must push all Lebanese political forces to carefully and profoundly reflect on the causes behind the escalation on tensions and extremism in the country and the spread of these terrorist acts.”

“The essential mission of any political force must be to preserve the interests of the country and its citizens in a wise and objective manner,” Mustaqbal added in a statement issued after its weekly meeting, in an apparent reference to Hizbullah.

It called on the party not to “adopt reckless policies and practices that could aggravate extremism, which is the cause of violence.”

The bloc also tackled the heavy celebratory gunfire that marred Nasrallah's televised speech on Friday, describing it as a “show of force aimed at intimidating and terrorizing Lebanese citizens” and noting that the party “has the ability to curb the phenomenon if it wants.”

“This contradicts with all the objectives of the ongoing dialogue between the party and al-Mustaqbal movement, which aims to defuse sectarian tensions and sentiments,” Mustaqbal added.

Commenting on Nasrallah's fiery anti-Israel speech, the bloc described his statement that Hizbullah “no longer recognizes the rules of engagement” as a “unilateral, hasty stance that disregarded the Lebanese people's will and the points of political consensus.”

Mustaqbal accused Nasrallah of “renouncing the international resolutions, specifically (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 1701, in violation of Lebanon's commitments.”

“Lebanon is keen on the guarantees and protection provided by these international resolutions,” the bloc added.

It also rejected what it described as Tehran's attempt to “turn Lebanon into an arena for conflict with Israel for Iranian objectives that have nothing to do with the higher Lebanese interest or the Palestinian and Arab interests.”

The bloc's remarks come in the wake of Israel's assassination of six Hizbullah fighters, including prominent militants, and an Iranian general in a Jan. 18 air raid in Syria's Quneitra.

Hizbullah retaliated through killing two Israeli troops and wounding seven in a missile attack in the occupied Shebaa Farms, after which Nasrallah announced that his party no longer recognizes any "rules of engagement" in the conflict with Israel.

"It is our right -- legally, in human terms and morally -- to face the enemy anywhere, any time and in any way we deem appropriate," he warned.

Y.R.