Hezbollah chief: Leave our arms alone

During a speech marking the Day of Ashura , Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged Christians to engage in “calm dialogue” but to leave Hezbollah arms alone stressing that Hezbollah will not be dragged into internal conflict over the issue of arms.

“The only thing left to talk about is resistance arms. But we will not be dragged into any provocation,” he warned.

Nasrallah was responding to Phalange party’s objection to article six of the ministerial policy statement which they claim legitimizes the Hezbollah arms. The Phalange party intends to challenge this article before the constitutional council. The party is headed by former president Amin Gemayel, a key leader of the Christian Maronite community

Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs to commemorate Ashura and to listen to Nasrallah speech .via video link on a giant screen.

“We have entered a new phase in Lebanon: Reframing relations with Syria based on solid ground and cooperation,” Nasrallah said

“Today we have a national unity government represented by various forces which gives an opportunity for progress. We want to cooperate and join hands,” Nasrallah added

“Christians should not tolerate those who want to push them to commit suicide,” Nasrallah warned.

The Lebanese Muslim Shiites celebrated today The Day of Ashura, which is the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar which marks the climax of the remembrance of Muharram.

It is commemorated by Shiite Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala ( 80 KM south of Baghdad , Iraq) on 10 Muharram in the Hijra ( Islamic) year 61 (October 10, 680 AD.

Hezbollah’s ally , Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun told Kuwaiti newspaper Ad-Diyar that the Muslim Shiite commemoration of Ashura is similar to the Christian church’s commemoration of Good Friday :

“Ashura ritual pain resembles Christ’s pain,” Aoun said; adding that without pain there could be no freedom and independence.

He added that Shiite Muslims and Christians share similar principles, such as the belief in the return of Christ for Christians and the return of the Imam Mahdi for Shiite Muslims.