Hizbullah’s top lawmaker MP Mohammed Raad Accuses Saudi of Obstructing Presidential Vote, Ties to Bombings
Naharnet/March 04/16/
Hizbullah’s top lawmaker MP Mohammed Raad on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of “obstructing the presidential vote” in Lebanon and of being involved in the deadly bomb attacks that rocked several Lebanese regions in recent years.
“Some are criticizing us for raising the voice in the face of the Saudi regime, which has not left any door open for reconciliation, after it obstructed the presidential vote in our country through vetoing the choice of the Lebanese,” Raad added, reiterating the Hizbullah allegation that Riyadh had vetoed the election of Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun as president.Change and Reform and Hizbullah, who have been boycotting the electoral sessions, argue that Aoun is the candidate most eligible to become president given the size of his parliamentary bloc and his strong influence in the Christian community. The rival March 14 camp meanwhile accuses the two parties of obstructing the presidential election through their boycott of electoral sessions.Separately, Raad echoed Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s remarks that Saudi Arabia had played a role in the bombings that targeted Lebanese regions in recent years. He said those who staged the bomb attacks “received phone calls from numbers in the Saudi kingdom.”
“This regime has also sent car bombs and explosive devices to target civilians and pilgrims in Iraq through its army of takfiri terrorists,” Raad charged.
“They have also destroyed and weakened Syria and divided its people … We are not launching false accusations against anyone and we are not attacking anyone, but it is our right to tell the truth to people,” the MP added. His remarks come amid unprecedented tensions between Hizbullah and Saudi Arabia, which has launched a series of measures against both Lebanon and the Iran-backed party. The Saudi measures started on February 19 when the Saudi foreign ministry announced that the kingdom was halting around $4 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army and security forces. The kingdom later slapped sanctions on individuals and firms accused of ties to Hizbullah and advised its citizens against travel to Lebanon while urging those already in the country to leave it. Saudi Arabia has also pushed the Gulf Cooperation Council and the council of Arab interior ministers to describe Hizbullah as a “terrorist” organization. Saudi Arabia has linked its measures to Lebanon’s refusal to join the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in condemning attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran last month, and alleged Hizbullah “terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations.”
The Saudi-backed GCC resolution also accused Hizbullah of “terrorist acts and incitement in Syria, Yemen and in Iraq.”
Hezbollah Fails to Convince Lebanese Government to Condemn Terrorist Classification
Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al Awsat/March 04/16
Beirut-Lebanon’s Hezbollah has failed yesterday to convince the Lebanese government to condemn the Gulf and Arab stance, which classified Hezbollah a terrorist organization. Thus, putting Tammam Salam’s government at the edge of the cliff according to what one of the ministers told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Lebanese ministers from March 14th party found themselves stuck between facing Hezbollah by resigning from the government, which leads to the fall of another institution in the country that is still suffering from presidential vacancy, or by backing Hezbollah in facing the Arab and Gulf consensus again.
According to what ministerial source told Asharq Al-Awsat, despite Hezbollah’s loss in the governmental consensus on Thursday; as it failed in issuing an official declaration condemning the Arab and Gulf decision, yet the Lebanese government is living a state of confusion as a result of its fear from any uncontrollable situation if it decided to resign and halt talks with Hezbollah or continue covering up Hezbollah’s actions in the region.
At the time when the Political and Strategic Analyst Sami Nader sees that the Lebanese government is confused between resigning or covering up Hezbollah’s acts, the Minister of Social Affairs, Rashid Derbas told Asharq Al-Awsat that the PM is not willing to resign anytime soon.
The latter added: “We are concerned today more than ever since Lebanon is no longer living under the security umbrella and the Lebanese parties are now obliged to stop talking and provoking.”
Moreover, regarding the steps that should be taken by the government following the Gulf decision, Derbas asked whether the government is capable of facing Hezbollah. He also said that everybody knows that Lebanon cannot face Hezbollah neither can the regional powers, and Derbas confirmed that his government is against armament and with democracy and institutions’ activation.
Administrative Development Minister Nabil de Freij talked with Asharq Al-Awsat about a considerable disagreement with Hezbollah, which acts as a statelet within a state, in addition to interfering in the affairs of other countries, both politically and militarily.
He added that the Lebanese government has no other choice but to deal with this reality so as to maintain the stability of Lebanon.