Lebanese Officials Condemn Hermel Blast, Call for Unity

Lebanese politicians denounced on Monday the terrorist suicide bombing that targeted the Bekaa town of Hermel, a stronghold of Hizbullah, considering it a further attempt to “ignite the situation in the country.”

President Michel Suleiman called for solidarity among politicians and the Lebanese people to “fortify the country.”

“It's a new ring in the series of explosions carried out by those who are harmed by stability in Lebanon,” he said in a statement.

The president praised the efforts exerted by the army and security forces, demanding the arrest of the offenders behind the blast.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati called for unity among politicians in order to protect the country and forestall “evil” from affecting the country.

According to a statement issued by Miqati's press office, the caretaker premier followed up the blast that rocked Hermel with the competent security authorities.

Miqati also instructed the National Disaster Operation Center, headed by Higher Defense Council chief General Mohammed Kheir, to follow up the situation and carry out the necessary measures.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam also slammed the attack, considering it a “disgraceful terrorist act.”

“The ongoing sedition acts are taking the lives of innocent people,” Salam said.

For its part, the March 14 general-secretariat condemned the attack “in the strongest terms,” saying “this coward incident is part of a series of similar incidents that has been moving from one region to another.”

“The general-secretariat stresses that controlling the border by the Lebanese army -- with the support of U.N. forces as allowed by (Security Council) Resolution 1701 -- is the only way to put an end to such incidents,” it said.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat deplored the bombing, calling for further cautious measures to prevent terrorism from striking Lebanon.

“Justifying terrorist acts is political foolishness,” he stressed.

For his part, caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel called for calm in Lebanon, pointing out that there are attempts to destabilize the situation in Lebanon.