Nasrallah: US and Israel Caused Lebanese Gov't Collapse

by JPost.com Staff

Hizbullah Leader Hassan Nasrallah discussed the international probe into the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, blaming Israel and the US for the Lebanese government's fall, in a televised speech on Sunday.

Nasrallah accused Hariri's son, Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri, of acting under "heavy American influence." He explained that there was an agreement between the two major Lebanese parties, mediated by Saudi Arabia, that the government would denounce the investigation's findings and stop funding the International Court of Justice. However, Hariri traveled to America, where he announced that he would not accept the compromise.

"Hariri flew to America in order to show the agreement's success, but without any warning said 'sorry, we can't do it,'" Nasrallah said. "Who stopped the [agreement]? Clearly it was America and Israel that opposed them to begin with...They intervened with force and said that it cannot be that it will continue, it must stop, and suddenly. That is the only explanation, given the factors."

He said that the probe is "political" and seeks to "harm Lebanon," and that Hizbullah's 11 government ministers quit because Hariri betrayed their agreement.

Nasrallah added that his organization "did not bring down the government in the streets or with weapons, but we did it in a civilized way."

He said that Hizbullah will not join the new government that Hariri plans on forming. "After the experience we've gained, we clearly will not recommend him and will take another direction. However, we will not say today who our candidate will be."

Nasrallah's militant Shiite group resigned last Wednesday, bringing down the government while Hariri was in Washington meeting with President Barack Obama.

Original URL: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=203873

JPost.com Staff

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