Prime Minister Saad Hariri told Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei during his official visit to Russia that he and the other 3 top leaders in the country will not allow the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) indictment to explode the situation in Lebanon.
“President Michel Suleiman and I as well as Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will not allow the STL indictment to explode the situation in Lebanon. ” He said
Hariri voiced concern that Israel might blow up the situation in the Middle East and called on the international community to pressure Israel to adhere to international resolutions.
The PM rejected holding bilateral discussions with Israel and added that if Tel Aviv wants peace, it must negotiate with all the Arabs.
Tension escalated in Lebanon following reports that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will soon issue its indictment into the 2005 assassination of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Last July, the Hezbollah chief said that the tribunal is “an Israeli project” that will indict Hezbollah members. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused Israel of being behind Hariri’s assassination but refused to provide the evidence to STL to support his claim. Hezbollah and its March 8 allies have been calling for the abolition of STL.
Some leaders are concerned that should the court indict Hezbollah members, it could lead to a Shiite-Sunni strife.
Al Akhbar newspaper reported last week that Hezbollah has prepared a plan to take over Lebanon when STL issues its indictment for the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Nasrallah said in his speech last Thursday that Hezbollah will not allow the arrest of any of its members if indicted by STL : “Any hand that will touch any of them will be cut off, ” he said
On October 28, Nasrallah called on all Lebanese to boycott the STL and to end cooperation with its investigators.
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