Miqati on Eid al-Fitr: National Responsibilities Require Cooperation of All Sides to Tackle Situation

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stated on Saturday that Lebanon “belongs to all of its factions” and not just one party.

He said on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr: “National responsibilities require the cooperation of all sides in order to tackle the current situation.”

“It’s unacceptable for any side, whether deliberately or not, to destroy then nation through political or non-political actions,” he said.

“The nation belongs to everyone, not just one sect, faction, party, or movement,” he continued.

“We are obligated to protect the country and maintain its unity, independence, and sovereignty,” declared the premier.

“We understand the anger against the fate of the Lebanese pilgrims in Aazaz and we sympathize with their loves ones, but we do not see any justification for blatant violations of the state’s authority, especially through the various kidnappings,” added Miqati.

“The government approached the developments with wisdom and calm. It did not stand idly by, but it took the appropriate measures to curb the violations and hold those responsible for them accountable,” he said.

“The government will work on releasing the Syrian and Turkish captives held in Lebanon, while constantly following up on the case of the abducted pilgrims,” he stated.

Miqati called for calm, urging people against taking hasty measures “that may not serve the interests of the captives and the country and its ties with other nations.”

The military wing of al-Meqdad clan announced on Wednesday that it had abducted over 20 supporters of the Free Syrian Army, as well as a Turkish national, in retaliation to the abduction of Hassan al-Meqdad in Syria last Sunday.

On Thursday, unknown assailants abducted Turkish national Abd Basset Orssolane from the Choueifat region.

The clan’s spokesman Maher al-Meqdad had stated that the family’s military wing has nothing to do with the abduction.

The pilgrims were kidnapped in May as they were returning to Lebanon through Syria from a pilgrimage in Iran.

They were thought to be held in Aazaz before Syrian regime forces targeted the region with airstrikes on Wednesday, raising questions about their fate.