Naharnet

Geagea Calls On Suleiman, Salam, Berri to 'Assume Responsibility': Hizbullah Is Getting out of Control

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated on Tuesday that Hizbullah is “getting out of control,” urging the president of the republic and the premier-designate to “announce that they are in charge of things.”

"We are in front of two options which are either to go along with Hizbullah or to act taking into consideration the Lebanese people's higher interests through the formation of a salvation cabinet,” Geagea said in an interview with the Central News Agency.

He elaborated: “Hizbullah has become out of control and totally believes in what it is doing. All its strategic considerations have become linked to Iran.”

"But Hizbullah will not succeed in making the Lebanese people submissive.”

"We must reform the constitutional institutions in Lebanon, on top of this is forming a salvation cabinet to secure Lebanon's higher interest. A salvation cabinet can save the country.”

Geagea urged Suleiman, PM-designate Tamman Salam and Speaker Nabih Berri to “assume their responsibilities in this matter.”

"The situation cannot take any further postponement.”

The LF leader slammed any initiative to hold dialogue session as “unreal.”

“We wish that the security events happening in Lebanon can be resolved through dialogue. The Lebanese factions convened in national dialogue sessions about a year ago and we agreed on a a very important accord which is the Baabda Declaration,” Geagea said.

"But this accord remained only ink on papers.”

The military support of Hizbullah has helped Syrian regime forces gain the upper hand in the battle for control of Qusayr, a key town for both the regime and the insurgents, where an army assault began last month, amid a Lebanese, regional and international outcry.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah had previously justified the group's involvement in Syria by saying they were defending Lebanese-inhabited border villages inside Syria and Shiite holy sites.

But during a May 25 speech marking the 13th anniversary of Israel's military withdrawal from Lebanon, Nasrallah said the Takfiris are the “most prevailing group in the Syrian opposition,” warning against a defeat against them in the ongoing war in Syria.

He said: “If Syria falls in the hands of the Takfiris and the United States, the resistance will become under a siege and Israel will enter Lebanon. If Syria falls, the Palestinian cause will be lost.”

Geagea said the last attempt by Bkirki to reconcile Christian leaders was “shocking.”

"(Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel) Aoun betrayed us hours after our meeting with him,” he revealed to the CNA.

He continued: “We discovered that our political foes do not want consensus. Instead, they were conducting a maneuver to gather popular support.”

"We can no longer discuss serious matters with them.”

Regarding the extension of the parliament's term, the Christian leader revealed that the Lebanese Forces will support the decision of the Constitutional Council “without any objection or comments.”

"We had a choice between extending the parliament's term or adopting the 1960's law in the elections. Going with the second option would have closed all doors to reach consensus over a new electoral law.”

“I cannot understand how Aoun, who has mourned the 1960's law four years ago and who considers it to be the worst option, can back it today?" Geagea asked.

A delegation from the FPM submitted on Monday before the Constitutional Council a challenge against the parliament''s term extension.

The parliament's decision to postpone the upcoming elections and extend its term 17 months was officially announced and published in the official gazette on Saturday.

Friday's extension decision comes after rival blocs in the legislature failed to agree on a new elections law.

Both pro- and anti-Syrian blocs in parliament agreed on the extension, with one exception being the FPM, which has the second largest bloc in parliament.

President Suleiman also submitted on Saturday an appeal to challenge the parliament's decision to extend its mandate, calling on the Constitutional Council to “legally and neutrally” study this file.


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