Hamadeh slams Raad over remarks on defense strategy

March 14 MP Marwan Hamadeh slammed the statements made by Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad on the issue of the national defense strategy.

“Raad’s statements confirmed that Hezbollah does not want a national defense strategy. In addition, Hezbollah has no intention to liberate Israeli-occupied Lebanese lands ,” Hamadeh said during an interview with Al-Jumhuriya newspaper published on Tuesday.

Raad said on Monday that the issue of liberating Lebanon’s Israeli-occupied land was more important than setting up a national defense strategy.

“We do not want a national defense strategy now, because we are still in the liberation stage,” National News Agency quoted Raad as saying.

Hamadeh told the newspaper that Hezbollah was mainly concerned about keeping its controversial military arsenal.

“What concerns Hezbollah is keeping its weapons… to use them in intimidating other political parties, including some of its allies,” Hamadeh said.

He added that weapons in Lebanon should be in the hands of the Lebanese army, adding that the Resistance “is provided by the people and the army and not by political parties and religious sects.”

Turning to the issue of national dialogue, Hemadeh said there was a need to put an end to “hypocrisy”.

Hamadeh said that Raad’s statements cancel the national dialogue’s agenda, adding that the current government “no longer rules anything, as it also does not fulfill the collective will of the Lebanese people.”

He also said that the national dialogue was “useless” in light of the assassination attempts in the country, adding that some of the parties to the national dialogue sessions were involved in “murders or assassination attempts.”

The MP also urged his allies in March 14 to convince President Michel Suleiman over the need to end the national dialogue.

He also blamed Hezbollah and its allies in March 8 alliance for Lebanon’s unfavorable economic, political and security situation.

During the second national dialogue session the participants agreed to meet and discuss the national defense strategy on July 24.

Now Lebanon