Beirut (AsiaNews) – Concerns are growing about the possible violent reaction to the imminent announcement, by the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) on those responsible for the political assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and other figures in Lebanon in the aftermath of 2005.
Yesterday, the former U.S. ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, argued that the indictment is "very close" and that defendants will be "senior members" of Hezbollah and Syria. Also yesterday, the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat indicating its sources, claimed that the prosecutor of the TSL, Daniel Bellemare, "has completed the investigation phase," that "results obtained allow him to formulate charges based on strong and decisive evidence " , such that "it will be difficult if not impossible, to undermine or challenge the evidence during the trial stage."
For their part, Hezbollah and its sponsors, Iran and Syria, have in advance implemented a campaign which seeks to challenge the Court itself, accusing it of being a tool of Israel and the U.S.. The obvious goal is to not have to answer any allegations. All of this accompanied by predictable street protests and shows of strength.
This raises concerns expressed recently by the Christian bishops and priests over Christmas celebrations, that it may act as a trigger to bloody clashes between Shiites (Hezbollah) and majority Sunnis, to which Hariri belonged.
"No one can ignore the challenges that Lebanon has gone through in the past and is still going through today”. “We live - he added – in difficult times, but we pray that the situation will improve and the new year be a bearer of good and the Lebanese may be united for the good of the country."
The Cardinal celebrated Christmas Mass attended by the President of the Republic, Michel Suleiman, who on his way to the celebration has refused to speak of a crisis, stating that "the political impasse is nearing a solution."
An invitation to the parties to remain calm and to find legal solutions came from the Greek Orthodox Bishop of Beirut, Elias Audi. "Why - he asked - not wait for the outcome of the inquiry with patience and calm and exercise the legal channels to resolve our disputes instead of resorting to provocations which may spark conflict?".
For his part, the Maronite bishop of the capital, Boulos Matar, who on Sunday met Iranian ambassador Roknabadi Ghazanfar, has warned that there would be no alternatives to the current model of coexistence in Lebanon if the country were to avoid collapse (PD).