Jisr Slams Nasrallah's 'Ungratefulness' towards Saudi, Says Dialogue to Go On

Al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Samir al-Jisr has lashed out at Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah over the latter's latest tirades against Saudi Arabia, while stressing that the Mustaqbal-Hizbullah dialogue will continue.

“Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah should not have attacked the Wahhabist religious creed or insulted the Saudi leadership,” Jisr said in an interview with al-Liwaa newspaper to be published Monday.

“Nasrallah was ungrateful, because Saudi Arabia contributed to Lebanon's reconstruction after the civil war and it is the biggest supporter for the Lebanese economy,” Jisr added.

He also reminded Hizbullah's leader that Riyadh “built and renovated 55,000 houses after the 2006 (Israeli) aggression.”

“It has also equipped the Lebanese army,” the MP added.

“Hizbullah and its allies launched campaigns to question the efforts to equip the Lebanese army because the donation was Saudi and because they do not want a strong army that would negate the raison d'etre of their illegitimate weapons,” Jisr went on to say.

Hizbullah, Saudi Arabia and the kingdom's Lebanese allies have been locked in a war of words that started after Riyadh launched an air campaign against Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

On Monday, Lebanon received the first batch of $3 billion worth of French arms under a Saudi-financed deal to boost the army's capabilities.

Separately, Jisr underlined that the Mustaqbal-Hizbullah dialogue that started in December 2014 “will continue.”

The bilateral talks had faced the threat of collapse due to the war of words between the two parties. However, the two parties have both emphasized their commitment to dialogue, citing its perceived ability to defuse sectarian tensions in the country.

Turning to the stalled presidential vote, the MP noted that “there are no indications that the obstacles hindering the election of a president will be eliminated anytime soon.”

He also underlined that Hizbullah's ally and declared candidate, Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun, is not a “consensual candidate.”

“How is he consensual if he is trying to impose his conditions? He is saying 'elect me or I will impede the election of a president',” Jisr lamented.

As for the controversy over security appointments, the lawmaker pointed out that “according to the norms, the president usually names the army chief.”

“This norm must be respected, and if a candidate for a security post does not receive the support of two thirds of ministers, the term of the incumbent should be extended to avoid vacuum,” he added.

Y.R.