Qassem to March 14: Stop Betting on Regional Developments
Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Wednesday called on the March 14 forces to “stop betting on regional developments to alter the balance of power in Lebanon,” stressing that Lebanon will remain “the Lebanon of resistance for tens of years.”
Qassem’s remarks come a day after the March 14 forces held a rally at the BIEL hall in Beirut to commemorate the seventh anniversary of ex-PM Rafik Hariri’s assassination.
“To the March 14 bunch I say: stop betting on regional developments to alter the balance of power in Lebanon, you betted on America, Israel, the West and all the outside schemes to no avail and you won’t gain anything from them,” Qassem said at a ceremony organized by Hizbullah at the Lebanese University campus in Hadath to commemorate the leaders of the Islamic Resistance.
Qassem described the demonstrations staged by the March 14 forces since 2005 as “an unsuccessful option.”
“Your group proposed a scheme that failed to sway the Lebanese in their entirety. Your presence has declined and your chances have waned, that’s why you must take a moment to think about the secret that is making you retreat and lose ground,” Hizbullah number two added.
On Tuesday the leaders of the March 14 camp called on Hizbullah to give up its controversial arsenal of weapons, which the party argues is necessary to deter Israel.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said “there is no future for illegal arms,” while ex-PM Saad Hariri said “we all want to bravely confront Israel” and Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel noted that “it’s unreasonable for us to reject the Arab regimes’ arms and keep our people under the hegemony of weapons.”
“Betting on the developments in Syria is a delusion, because whatever the developments in Syria they will serve the strength and the survival of the regime,” Qassem said, addressing the rival March 14 forces.
And he stressed that whatever the outcome of the popular revolt in Syria may be, “it will not change the equation in Lebanon, which is a popular, resistant formula that believes in a righteous choice, and even tornadoes cannot shake this equation.”
Qassem reiterated support for the so-called “army-people-Resistance formula,” describing it as “the reason of Lebanon’s strength,” noting that “this defense strategy will stay in place until we agree on a new defense strategy around the national dialogue table.”
“How do you intend to preserve the Taef Accord without special relations with Syria? How do you intend to preserve the Taef Accord and you want to sabotage Lebanon through turning the North region into a Syrian (opposition) protectorate in order to undermine order and stability in Syria, harbor gunmen and perform acts that might spread later to the Lebanese domestic arena?” Qassem asked the March 14 forces.
“Be confident that had it not been for the presence of a party that does not want civil strife, which is our group and our allies, civil strife would have erupted long time ago, as we see it popping its head every now and then through unjustified statements, incitement and stances,” he added.
“The Resistance will go on with its presence, preparations and strength for the sake of Lebanon and it will not fulfill the wish of Israel and America which want to weaken it or eliminate it. This Resistance is legitimate as well as its presence and arms. It is legitimate through its achievements, legitimate through the people’s endorsement and legitimate through its right to confront Israel.”
Source: Naharnet
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