March 14 Holds 'Hizbullah, Allies' Responsible for Row with Saudi, Urges 'Firm' Stance from Govt.

The March 14 forces on Sunday held Hizbullah and its allies responsible for what they described as the “dangerous row” with Saudi Arabia, urging the Lebanese government to “respect the Constitution” and “take a clear and firm stance confirming Lebanon's commitment to Arab solidarity.”

“The Lebanese-Arab relations are in danger and the Lebanese are today suffering from anxiety and very dangerous circumstances,” said a March 14 statement issued after an extraordinary meeting at the Center House.

The meeting was attended by al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri, Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel, Mustaqbal bloc chief MP Fouad Saniora, the members of March 14's general secretariat and other March 14 figures while Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea was represented by a delegation led by MP George Adwan.

“If Hizbullah and its allies continue – through illegitimate arms -- to put Iran's interest before Lebanon's higher interest, that will harm Lebanon's role and Arab belonging and presence and will eventually affect the social and economic security of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese families -- from all sects -- who have jobs in the Gulf,” the statement warned.

“These countries have opened their doors to us during all the difficult circumstances … and had contributed to ending the Lebanese war and helping Lebanon during the 1990s reconstruction period and once again after the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon,” March 14 added.

Holding “Hizbullah and its allies” responsible for what it called “this dangerous row” with Saudi Arabia and other problems, the March 14 coalition called on Hizbullah to “withdraw from the ongoing fighting in Syria and the region and to abide by the dissociation policy.”

Turning to the extraordinary meeting that the Lebanese government will hold on Monday morning, the March 14 forces called on the cabinet to “respect the Constitution and the resolutions of the international legitimacy,” urging it to “take a clear and firm stance confirming Lebanon's commitment to Arab solidarity and rejecting any insult or violation of the sovereignty of any Arab state.”

“The March 14 forces reiterate their full support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council in their rejection of breaches against the sovereignty or independence of any Arab country, and they reject turning Lebanon into a base for hostility against any Arab country,” the statement added.

According to media reports, LF representatives rejected any mention of the Free Patriotic Movement or Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil in the statement, which prompted the conferees to use the phrase “Hizbullah and its allies.”

The statement comes three days after Saudi Arabia decided to halt a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest at alleged Hizbullah policies and recent diplomatic stances by Lebanon's foreign ministry.

In light of positions taken by Hizbullah, the kingdom proceeded to "a total evaluation of its relations with the Lebanese republic," an unnamed official told the Saudi Press Agency on Friday.

Lebanon received the first tranche of weapons designed to bolster its army against jihadist threats, including anti-tank guided missiles, in April last year but the program then reportedly ran into obstacles.

Hizbullah is supported by Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran, with whom relations have worsened this year.

Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran last month after demonstrators stormed its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and activist, Nimr al-Nimr.

The official quoted by the Saudi Press Agency said the kingdom had noticed "hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hizbullah on the State."

He also deplored the "political and media campaigns inspired by Hizbullah against Saudi Arabia," as well as what he called the group's "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations."

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday accused Turkey and Saudi Arabia of dragging the entire region into war and said "victory" was imminent for his group and its Syrian regime allies.

Y.R.