• Published 00:55 01.08.10
  • Latest update 00:55 01.08.10

Assad: Int'l inquiry into Hariri murder destabilizes Lebanon

Assad said that in the past the court had blamed Syria, a claim later proven to have been baseless, but nearly destroyed Lebanon and the entire region.

By Jack Khoury

Syrian President Bashar Assad said during meetings over the weekend with Saudi King Abdullah and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman that the role of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's investigation into the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri must be ended because the court has become a burden on Lebanon that is threatening the country's stability.

Saudi King Abdullah, left, and Syrian President Assad stepping off a plane Friday in Beirut

Saudi King Abdullah, left, and Syrian President Assad stepping off a plane Friday in Beirut

Photo by: AP

According to the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar, Assad warned that if a finger is pointed at Hezbollah for being behind the assassination, this may result in the destruction of Lebanon. Assad said that in the past the court had blamed Syria, a claim later proven to have been baseless, but nearly destroyed Lebanon and the entire region, and now the same scenario is being repeated against Hezbollah.

The report says that Assad clearly relayed his views to the Saudi King, who is known to have a great deal of influence on the Hariri family, and the former prime minister's son, Sa'ad, who is now prime minister himself. Assad made it clear that not only will Hezbollah oppose the court's decisions, but will also fight against them.

The newspaper quotes Assad as saying that the court's role was to find those responsible for the murder, however its current mandate has become to strike at the resistance forces - a euphemism for Hezbollah - and against countries that are not part of the pro-American camp. Assad said Syria will not allow the undermining of Lebanese resistance (Hezbollah ) since this is a red line that cannot be crossed.

There were no reports of disagreement having been expressed by the Saudi king, however he did express doubt as to the possibility of stopping the activities of the court since the issue is an international one.

The Lebanese are waiting for Tuesday, when Hezbollah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah will address the issue of the international court and its accusations.

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  • 3. 2 0
  • 2. 0 0
    If Hezbollah Is Capable Of Bearing Such Valentine Day Gifts For Lebanon When Things Are Already Going Nasrallah's Way, Imagine When Things Sour For This Usurper & Start To Go South
    • Lavi - Seattle
    • 01.08.10
    • 07:04

    Lebanon had a taste of that when the government previously discovered a clandestine, Iranian-built, private military communications system run by the Regime and Hezbollah which seriously violated Lebanon's sovereignty and then demanded its dismantling. That was like getting Nasrallah to undergo extractions of his Shia wisdom teeth by Sunni tongs without anaesthesia and Nasrallah flew into a rage, ordering his troops to display who's boss by quickly taking over and intimidating the Lebanese and killing whoever was necessary before Lebanon capitulated. Since that occured very quickly only a few died but the mask was already pulled off Nasrallah's bandit face to reveal a pathological liar who promised he would never raise one gun against Lebanon. I suppose in his lying ways he was correct as he raised many instead. When one ingests poison it's not good to stifle the violent vomitting that it induces to rid the body of the foreign matter and save itself. In this case, the poisonous, militant politics of Hezbollah has not only taken root in Lebanon's body but it has spread seriously to its governing brain. The International Court of Justice investigating this case should not stop at dusting Hariri's dead body for evidence and only finding Hezbollah culpable, they should now dust Nasrallah himself and they will discover the bloody fingerprints of Khamenei & Co., so the murder investigation should be then expanded further to Tehran.

  • 1. 8 1
    Whitewashing
    • Ahasverus
    • 01.08.10
    • 01:19

    Yes, finding out what really happened and punishing the murderers of Hariri is too painful for the Lebanese to face. Better hush it up, this will save the dubious honour of Lebanon and bring stability and peace. Do we need more examples to understand that Lebanon, Syria and Iran are the last countries in the world to criticize others on human rights?