Nasrallah to March 14 Camp: Building the State Doesn’t Mean Eliminating the Other
Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called on Thursday the March 14 camp to resolve issues that it and the March 8 forces “agree need to be resolved”, such as the electoral law, spoiled food scandal, and spread of drugs at schools.
He said during a student graduation ceremony: “Extending the hand to the other does not mean eliminating them, but rather delaying in addressing controversial issues.”
“The country should not be crippled as a result of our disagreements,” he added.
On Wednesday, the March 14 forces called for a “peace intifada among the Lebanese to end the tragedies of the past away from relying on foreign powers and the force of arms.”
Nasrallah criticized the March 14 camp for linking all pending issues to ending Hizbullah’s possession of arms, saying: “They are following the policy of ‘either you work with us or we cripple the country’.”
“They say that they will not resolve the issue of illiteracy, spread of drug abuse, and unemployment in Lebanon unless the dispute over the resistance’s arms is settled,” he added.
“This is not sound reasoning, but part of an agreement made with the U.S. and the West,” he declared.
“Whoever thinks he is capable of tackling the resistance’s arms should go ahead and try,” he stated.
“We have repeatedly said that our hand is extended to the other, but recognizing the other needs to be translated into action,” stressed the Hizbullah leader.
Turning to the March 14 camp, Nasrallah remarked: “When we formed the government, you incited the world against it. Is this recognition of the other?”
Indirectly addressing Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, he noted: “They say that the March 14 forces are capable of building the state, but with what mentality? Are you even capable of forming your own parties?”
“When the March 14 camp used to be a majority, we, along with the rest of the opposition, were shunned from rule. We did take part in government and we cooperated in all issues. All we wanted was to achieve stability, especially after the Syrian troop withdrawal in 2005,” he added.
Addressing the Syrian crisis, he said: “It’s been a year since the crisis began. We call on all sides to review the past year and conclude that only a political solution can end the unrest. Anything else other than that will lead to more bloodshed.”
“Whoever is seeking to topple the Syrian regime at any price will fail,” he stressed.
“It is in our interest as Lebanese and Syria’s neighbors to seek a political solution. It is up to the Syrians to implement reform,” he noted.
“We back a people who support the resistance,” he added.
Addressing the Syrian people, Nasrallah said: “Put aside your weapons as the bloodshed must stop. We cannot but condemn the massacres being committed in Syria.”
“Efforts should be exerted to end the bloodshed and a political solution and dialogue are the only salvation,” he remarked.
On the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, Nasrallah saluted the Palestinian people, condemning those who claimed that the unrest in the Palestinian territories is aimed at diverting attention away from the developments in Syria.
Turning to the opposition demonstrations in Bahrain, the Hizbullah leader said: “The Bahraini people refuse to be pawns in the hands of others and it is therefore clear that the people have a will that cannot be broken.”
Source: Naharnet
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