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Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. (AP)
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Last update - 00:00 14/11/2006
Lebanese PM vows to resist Hezbollah's 'tyranny of minority'
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora on Tuesday vowed to keep his depleted government afloat and resist demands by Hezbollah and its allies that would amount to "tyranny of the minority."

Siniora, who has lost a quarter of his 24-member cabinet since Saturday, said he would pursue dialogue despite the collapse of all-party talks and Hezbollah threats of street protests to bring down the anti-Syrian majority government.

He told Reuters in an interview that the majority of the cabinet was ready to expand, but emphasized that he would not agree to demands by Hezbollah, backed by its Shi'ite Muslim ally Amal and Christian leader Michel Aoun, for more than a third of cabinet seats.
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"They will become able to paralyze the meetings of the cabinet of ministers ... and have the ability to topple the government," Siniora said at his office in downtown Beirut.

"In a democracy, this is not possible," he said, noting the majority his coalition commands in parliament. "The point that's being mentioned there is the tyranny of the minority, which by all democratic principles, does not stand."

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah in comments published Tuesday called on his supporters not to shy from a new civil war. In a speech he gave on Monday before thousands in south Beirut Nasrallah said "some are trying to frighten us with this option [of a civil war] ... but I tell you - the weak are behind this scare campaign," he said.

In the comments published on the Lebanese Arab language daily A-Safir, the Hezbollah chief reassured that his organization would act to maintain stability in Lebanon.

"This country is our country, and we have sacrificed tens of thousands of fatalities, casualties, prisoners and mutilated individuals and our most prized possessions to protect it and its honor. We will not turn our backs on it and will uphold peace between the residents as well as stability."

In its latest political earthquake, all of the government's Shi'ite ministers, affiliated with the Hezbollah and Amal movements, resigned. By walking out the ministers caused the government to breach the Lebanese constitution, which requires that Shi'ite representatives be included in the cabinet.

In his speech, Nasrallah also said that a "clean government" would be established in Lebanon. According to the Hezbollah chief, "the current government will step down. We will have nothing to do with it once it resigns ... it has zero credibility."

Despite this crisis, however, the Lebanese government has made an historical decision to establish an international court to investigate the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

President Emil Lahoud, member of the pro-Syrian camp in the government, has said this decision is illegitimate.
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  1.   Where and when did he saz that exactlz 14:04  |  tom 14/11/06
  2.   Nasralla 14:32  |  bakunin 14/11/06
  3.   Every word a lie. 14:32  |  Avi 14/11/06
  4.   Nasrallah the Coward 14:53  |  Steve 14/11/06
  5.   Lazy Journalism 14:57  |  Paulo 14/11/06
  6.   I see his prepared to sacrifice more of his peoples lives 15:00  |  British academic 14/11/06
  7.   re: Avi #3 15:03  |  Paulo 14/11/06
  8.   Not True 15:10  |  Sabra 14/11/06
  9.   Another French success story! 15:10  |  Davi d Teich 14/11/06
  10.   The content of the article contradicts the title 15:10  |  Adina 14/11/06
  11.   BOMB TEHRAN NOW! 15:12  |  Amir 14/11/06
  12.   The next Lebanese constitution will be Sharia ! 15:14  |  Akiva Patysh 14/11/06
  13.   inacurate article 15:14  |  mazen 14/11/06
  14.   Ahlan wasahlan Civil War 15:20  |  Tamir Gaza 14/11/06
  15.   Israel hit not hard enough 15:30  |  Jonathan S 14/11/06
  16.   Nasrallah and Olmert Comparisons 15:33  |  Ronnie Wolman 14/11/06
  17.   Civil War 15:38  |  Aaron 14/11/06
  18.   His true colours 15:44  |  Georges 14/11/06
  19.   The friend and Hero of the Lebanese 15:44  |  ScotGuy 14/11/06
  20.   to steve 15:52  |  keisari 14/11/06
  21.   Nasralla 15:54  |  Sam 14/11/06
  22.   "Not to be afraid of" 15:55  |  sh 14/11/06
  23.   His country 15:56  |  Sam 14/11/06
  24.   u fucckin israel`s ...haaretz publishes bullshitt 15:56  |  george 14/11/06
  25.   CIVIL WAR 16:01  |  ottomatik 14/11/06
  26.   peace 16:07  |  sabra 14/11/06
  27.   nasrallah 16:12  |  lebanese warrior 14/11/06
  28.   Misreporting as usual 16:17  |  H50 14/11/06
  29.   Haaretz is becoming a spin doctor 16:22  |  American Taxpayer 14/11/06
  30.   Interpretation 16:22  |  Aaron 14/11/06
  31.   to dumb avi and steve 16:25  |  MW 14/11/06
  32.   To OTTO 16:30  |  mazen 14/11/06
  33.   correct yoursleves pls 16:33  |  j 14/11/06
  34.   TROUBLE IN MIDEAST 16:36  |  Dick Turpin 14/11/06
  35.   Hezbollah to make war with Israel 16:39  |  Foley 14/11/06
  36.   Next: A Lebanese Shia Islamist State 16:40  |  Semsem 14/11/06
  37.   #13, you`re pretty stupid 16:41  |  14 14/11/06
  38.   And So the Obvious Occurs... 16:41  |  Musa 14/11/06
  39.   George of Lebanon / Paris #10: You fled Lebanon 16:44  |  Laila 14/11/06
  40.   9 and Facts - Mutually Exclusive 16:45  |  Erik 14/11/06
  41.   Haaretz is becoming a spin doctor 16:51  |  John Connor 14/11/06
  42.   To Mazen... 16:53  |  Freddy Quinn 14/11/06
  43.   NO. 10 You are a racist and I don`t know why Ha`aretz lets you 16:58  |  Dan 14/11/06
  44.   Siniora is a dead man walking 16:59  |  Yaakov Cohn 14/11/06
  45.   it is good news, it will make everybody happy 17:01  |  Tamir Gaza 14/11/06
  46.   29.3% shia in lebanon 17:05  |  mazen 14/11/06
  47.   The boot`s on the other foot.... 17:06  |  Dave Kennaird 14/11/06
  48.   To....No.23 17:07  |  George Smith 14/11/06
  49.   to OTTOMATIK 17:19  |  Can`t believe this 14/11/06
  50.   It OK To Have Allies But Not To Share With`em Lebanon 17:22  |  Joseph E . 14/11/06
  51.   Haaretz`s Mis-Information 17:25  |  Hani 14/11/06
  52.   Nasrallah and the future of Lebanon 17:27  |  Maurice 14/11/06
  53.   I told you so: CIVIIL WAR 17:35  |  Dave 14/11/06
  54.   Hizbollah and Haaretz 17:42  |  Ted 14/11/06
  55.   I told you so: CIVIL WAR 17:42  |  Dave 14/11/06
  56.   Hezzy works in Iran`s interests, not Lebanon`s 17:46  |  Dave 14/11/06
  57.   Hezbollah chief tell supporters not to shy away from civil war??? 17:47  |  Sam (UK) 14/11/06
  58.   nasrallah serves iran and syria only 17:51  |  freeurmind 14/11/06
  59.   Many of you here deny the civil war option 17:53  |  Dave 14/11/06
  60.   # 9 Ari Sharon was born in Israel. 18:03  |  ChanahS 14/11/06
  61.   Sam # 32 18:08  |  ChanahS 14/11/06
  62.   Preparation of Lebanon`s NEW CIVIL WAR 18:09  |  * BEN JABO 14/11/06
  63.   #10 - George 18:12  |  * BEN JABO 14/11/06
  64.   To LAILA 18:16  |  Oren Stern 14/11/06
  65.   Siniora is dead and is too dumb to lay down 18:17  |  * BEN JABO 14/11/06
  66.   To All Lebanese who celebrated Hezbollah "Victory" 18:19  |  Max Zinger 14/11/06
  67.   34. Israel have to live with war for centuries 18:22  |  Tony 14/11/06
  68.   Whether pig-face nasrallah said it or not, civil war`s a comin!!! 18:26  |  Dave 14/11/06
  69.   amazing 18:27  |  Josh 14/11/06
  70.   To Musa 18:32  |  Josh 14/11/06
  71.   resisting corruption unfortunately 18:34  |  mazen 14/11/06
  72.   Say goodnight Siniora 18:37  |  Natallie Durson 14/11/06
  73.   Full Respect for Nasrallah 18:40  |  Roman 14/11/06
  74.   HEZBOLLAH RESISTS ISRAELI TYRANNY 18:51  |  jacques 14/11/06
  75.   SINIORA TRAITOR 18:51  |  hans 14/11/06
  76.   Nasrallah and the future of Lebanon 18:53  |  Maurice 14/11/06
  77.   Dave 18:57  |  F.Y 14/11/06
  78.   Josh (and Musa) 18:59  |  ChanahS 14/11/06
  79.   Lebanon 19:04  |  Mordechai 14/11/06
  80.   Josh 42 19:07  |  Musa 14/11/06
  81.   #23. Musa. 100% correct 19:15  |  Polybios 14/11/06
  82.   Lebanon 19:15  |  Mordechai 14/11/06
  83.   Lebannon: Terminal Patient 19:18  |  ScotGuy 14/11/06
  84.   To Oren 19:23  |  whatsinaname 14/11/06
  85.   #6 Keisari - what a joke 19:25  |  ScotGuy 14/11/06
  86.   #45 So naive! 19:27  |  Maurice 14/11/06
  87.   To be fair 19:37  |  Canadian 14/11/06
  88.   The anatomy of hoax 19:40  |  Alef 14/11/06
  89.   to musa 19:49  |  Bernard 14/11/06
  90.   NASRULLAH DIDN`T TELL SUPPORTERS NOT TO SHY AWAY FROM CIVIL WAR!! 19:50  |  THE JACKAL 14/11/06
  91.   TO DAVE IN TORONTO 19:55  |  LEBANESE & PROUD 14/11/06
  92.   ScotGuy, you`re wasting your time with these people 20:08  |  Dave 14/11/06
  93.   To Dave 20:23  |  Elie 14/11/06
  94.   Proud Lebanese: Nasarallah is a respectful guy.... 20:30  |  John 14/11/06
  95.   #56 - Democracy in Lebanon! 20:31  |  Eric 14/11/06
  96.   What you expect 20:36  |  John 14/11/06
  97.   To Lebanese & Proud and Dave in Toronto 20:40  |  Hani 14/11/06
  98.   To #56 20:40  |  Pepe 14/11/06
  99.   MORE OF A REASON TO PROVE ISRAEL ACHIEVED ITS OBJECTIVES!!!!!!! 20:48  |  TR 14/11/06
  100.   Dave... 20:52  |  lebanese coward 14/11/06
  101.   #57 dave 20:52  |  Scot 14/11/06
  102.   Why Nasrallah-Hezballah resisted investigation? - Because........ 20:53  |  Vittorio 14/11/06
  103.   Dave ya Dave 20:54  |  lebanese coward 14/11/06
  104.   to George #10 20:59  |  100% Leb 14/11/06
  105.   no Charles de Gaulle among present day French leaders 21:00  |  zayyin ba ayin 14/11/06
  106.   Shhhhhht!!! Nasrallah 21:05  |  100% Leb 14/11/06
  107.   NASRALLAH IS RIGHT HEZBOLLAH HAS EARNED ITS FAIR SHARE! 21:08  |  Dutch 14/11/06
  108.   Hizboullah will win 21:16  |  john haydar 14/11/06
  109.   random censorship (and lack thereof) 21:16  |  educated reader 14/11/06
  110.   Nasrallah is gay 21:23  |  Tamir Gaza 14/11/06
  111.   #23. Musa (2d attempt) 21:24  |  Polybios 14/11/06
  112.   Dave needs attention.. 21:28  |  northern neighbor 14/11/06
  113.   don`t get disillusioned 21:29  |  Gus 14/11/06
  114.   Will Siniora cry again ? 21:35  |  Karam 14/11/06
  115.   Un peu de courage 21:45  |  Brant 14/11/06
  116.   #44, Natalie Durston 21:45  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/11/06
  117.   Keisari`s daydream #6 21:46  |  William 14/11/06
  118.   HEZOLLAH HAS EARNED ITS FAIR SHARE 21:46  |  Dutch 14/11/06
  119.   OH LEBANON 21:49  |  Dale 14/11/06
  120.   To the proud Lebanese #58 21:51  |  William 14/11/06
  121.   #46 THE PM SHOULD BE SINGING HEZBOLLAH`S PRAISE 21:56  |  Dutch 14/11/06
  122.   To Jacque - a question #46 22:14  |  William 14/11/06
  123.   Pig faces? Begin, Golda etc. No 40 22:15  |  Lebanee admirer 14/11/06
  124.   Haaretz Has a Problem Publishing My Comments 22:30  |  Loren 14/11/06
  125.   To Eric 22:44  |  Elie 14/11/06
  126.   To Pepe 22:48  |  Elie 14/11/06
  127.   #81. Dutch. The reason to fight it... 23:04  |  Polybios 14/11/06
  128.   #87 William finishes his post with this... 23:09  |  Johnboy 14/11/06
  129.   Notice That No Arab League Comment is made about leb skirmishes 23:16  |  Joseph E . 14/11/06
  130.   President Emil Lahoud and Hezbollah chief are liars 23:36  |  Joseph E . 14/11/06
  131.   re: TR #68 23:39  |  Paulo 14/11/06
  132.   Polybios 81 23:49  |  Musa 14/11/06
  133.   To elie 00:13  |  Sir Hani 15/11/06
  134.   big mouth Fuad Sinora 00:23  |  morice 15/11/06
  135.   Nassarallah : not to shy from a new civil war 00:29  |  Joseph E . 15/11/06
  136.   Why? 00:53  |  john 15/11/06
  137.   nasrallah cannot be PM 00:59  |  john 15/11/06
  138.   Down Bolton`s gov`t in Beirut 01:12  |  Lebanese in Canada 15/11/06
  139.   Civil war 01:20  |  Lebanese in Canada 15/11/06
  140.   Well, February 14 already did manifestations 01:21  |  Lebanese in Canada 15/11/06
  141.   To dave from Toronto 01:37  |  Lebanese in Canada 15/11/06
  142.   87% of the Lebanese supported Hezbollah fighting Israeli terroris 02:02  |  Lebanese in Canada 15/11/06
  143.   To Tamir Gaza from England 02:09  |  Lebanese in Canada 15/11/06
  144.   Leb-shia voted for a war criminal 02:30  |  Joseph E . 15/11/06
  145.   #108 - Nassrallah as PM 03:00  |  * BEN JABO 15/11/06
  146.   #110 - :Leb in Canada 03:03  |  * BEN JABO 15/11/06
  147.   Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was a house guest of the "tanned swimmer" 03:13  |  zayyin ba ayin 15/11/06
  148.   Reuters new link - if some would like to protest Reuters for ... 03:30  |  zayyin ba ayin 15/11/06
  149.   Isn`t this the same guy... 03:56  |  Micha 15/11/06
  150.   to john in beirut says, "nasrallah cannot be PM" 04:18  |  the cedar revolution 15/11/06
  151.   no such words in the Hebrew edition of Ha`aretz 04:32  |  zayyin ba ayin 15/11/06
  152.   to Josh 04:41  |  Rammi Abraham 15/11/06
  153.   missing the point 07:32  |  Leb 15/11/06
  154.   NO PROBLEMS IN LEBANON 09:58  |  LEBANESE 15/11/06
  155.   Lebanese in Canada 15:52  |  Dave 15/11/06
  156.   Correction to Lebanese in Canada 16:55  |  Dave 15/11/06
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