Jumblatt said in the interview the following:

"I am in Beirut, and I will stay in Beirut as I did in the past."

"The Shiite are being subjected to the same terror as the rest of the residents of Beirut, and we are all in this together."

"I am a citizen in this country, and I wanted to be protected by my government and my army, and nothing else."

"We should back the army, which is doing its best"

"I call for coexisting with the resistance if the present balance of powers does not permit absorbing it in the army."

"I have been described the same way [a liar and a killer] when I condemned arms in the past, and I did not comment... You are either completely under these parties' command, or you are a traitor to them."

"Is Brigadier General Wafik Shuqair worth it for Nasrallah to burn Beirut?" In reference to the firing of Shuqair by the cabinet for his alleged collusion with Hezbollah in the case of its illegal spying cameras at the airport.

"We refuse that Beirut be again besieged, in a situation more ugly than ever before."

"Hezbollah has a moral responsibility to safeguard the dignity of Beirut citizens."

"The agreement on an electoral law and formation of a national-unity government were clearly stated by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora before... but how can these be executed without a president?"

"Does the government not have the right to know where its financial and security rights in the (Hezbollah) communication network lie? In reference to the illegal Network that was built by Hezbollah with the help of Iranians and which is reportedly being used now by the militias of the middle east and the Syrian and Iranian intelligence. The government has declared the network illegal and should be eliminated."

"We want to know the definition of the resistance limits."

"The Syrian regime is negotiating with Israel at the expense of Lebanon today, and perhaps at the expense of Hezbollah one day."

"If he (Nasrallah) wants to occupy Beirut, he can do that militarily. But then what?"

"I tell my supporters to defend their homes, but not to take to the streets."

"I called Speaker Nabih Berri and have not yet heard a response after Sheikh Saad Hariri's suggestions. But in any case," Jumblat added, "it is not in any body's interest if Hezbollah rejects the Hariri initiative. I know what is the cost of violence, that is why I support a settlement. The state is more important than my (PSP) party or Hezbollah."

Minutes after Jumblatt, spoke Amal and Hezbollah responded by saying they rejected Hariri's suggestions, and plan to expand their control over the streets until the government backs down and rescinds its decisions.

Shiite Mufti Against Surrendering to Hezbollah

Confirming Jumblatt's statement about the Shiites, Shiite Mufti of south Lebanon warned the government against rescinding its decisions

"This is not a legitimate demand, because the state when it takes its decisions must apply these decisions, and there are institutions (like the parliament) and mechanisms in order to discuss or voice objections to these decisions within the institutions of the Lebanese state. The decision to take to the streets and to disrupt the lives of people and expose the country to danger is totally unacceptable," the Mufti said in response to Hezbollah's riots yesterday and today after meeting with Sunni Grand Mufti Sheikh Kabbani.

Top picture: MP Walid Jumblatt, during his press conference in which he called for banning the Iranian flights to stop the inflow of arms to Hezbolah and the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador

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