A verbal clash erupted inside the parliament on Wednesday in Beirut between Phalange party MP Sami Gemayel and Hezbollah MP Nawwaf Moussawi when the issue of the Shiite party’s attempt to expand its telecommunications network was discussed during a Question and Answer session .
Gemayel criticized Hezbollah over its “illegal excavation and installation works in the town of Tarshish ( in the upper Metn district ). ”
Moussawi responded saying that the cabinet had given the resistance legitimacy through its ministerial statement.
Gemayel then responded to Moussawi by telling him, “Let the Resistance protect me in this case .”
According to the report, the Hezbollah MP lashed out at Gemayel and said that “the Resistance does not protect agents of foreign governments .”
“Who are you calling agents? The history [of the Phalange ] should be an honor [to you]… You are disrespectful,” Gemayel told the Hezbollah MP
Moussawi reportedly fired back at the Gemayel by telling him, “You are the [impolite] one… And my shoes are more respectful than you.”
But Speaker Nabih Berri reportedly intervened , warning Moussawi that he “shouldn’t defend the resistance in this way.”
Berri later called for deleting the verbal attacks from the minutes of the session.
After the session, Sami’s father, former Lebanese president and current Phalange leader Amin Gemayel, held talks with Berri who sought to reconcile the bickering MPs.
In October, Tarshish residents protested against Hezbollah’s attempts to install their network in the town forcing the telecommunications ministry to interfere and put an end to the violation. Hezbollah reportedly threatened the local residents with another May 2008 type attack after the municipality prevented the party members from carrying out the project.
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