Hariri calls on millions to join him in rally to say no to Hizbollah, Syria and Iran
Beirut (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced a million-man march for 14 March against Hizbollah and its allies. The goal is to repeat the 14 March 2005 rally that brought millions of Lebanese into the streets against Syrian occupation. The date gave the Hariri-led coalition its name.
“We are going on 14 March to say no,” Hariri said at a mass rally in Beirut Monday. “No to the betrayal of coexistence . . . no to [Hizbollah's] armed internal tutelage, no to moving Lebanon to an axis rejected by the Lebanese,” an axis that consists of, he said, Iran, Syria, and Hizbollah.
Hariri said he would not join the new government being formed by Najb Mukati, voted in by parliament on 25 January with the support of Hizbollah.
The Shia-based party left the national unity government established in 2008, forcing Hariri to resign. The decision was prompted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is investigating the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, then the unquestioned leader of Lebanon’s Sunni community.
The Hizbollah-dominated opposition wants the tribunal to be repudiated. It rejects the tribunal established under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter claiming that it is a tool of Israel and the United States.
The political crisis in Lebanon and the recent fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak have raised tensions between armed Shia militias and Israel.
Today Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to a statement made by Hizbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who said that his group could take the Galilee in case of a new conflict with Israel.
“Nasrallah announced today that he can occupy the Galilee, but I have news for you, he can't," the prime minister. “We have a strong army and a united nation. We tried for peace with all of our neighbours, but the army is prepared and ready to defend Israel against any enemy."
The war of words began on Tuesday when Defence Minister Ehud Barak said during a tour of northern Israel that Hezbollah had taken a massive blow during the 2006 conflict with Israel.
In the meantime, Israeli intelligence spotted two Iranian warships in the Red Sea and this is raising concerns. The two vessels are expected to reach the Suez Canal in a few days on their way to Syria.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said their presence was a provocation, adding however that they did not constitute a military threat to Israel.
For now, Egyptian authorities have said that Iran has not made any request to use the canal.
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