Moussawi Rejects U.S. Attempts to Link Israel”s Withdrawal to Israeli-Lebanese Talks
Hizbullah MP Nawwaf al-Moussawi said Sunday the United States was trying to link an Israeli withdrawal from the northern part of al-Ghajar town to "direct or indirect" negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.
Speaking at a public event in the town of Naqoura, Moussawi said the United States was basing its approach on the idea that "an Israeli withdrawal is one of the provisions of U.N. Resolution 1701 and will be carried out with the rest of the articles."
Moussawi said the resolution did not stipulate an end to Israeli occupation of the town.
"Any withdrawal must take place without pre-conditions and without direct or indirect negotiations," he said.
On the government”s formation, Moussawi said Lebanon was "not a one-sided society in which democracy meant the majority rules and the minority opposes."
"Since the Lebanese system is based on political sectarianism," he said, "no government can be effective unless it is committed to the principles of coexistence, embodies national accord and represents all sects in a fair manner as stipulated by Article 29 of the Constitution."
He said politicians can speak freely of a system of a ruling majority and an opposing minority when "political sectarianism has been abolished in Lebanon and elections are carried out on a non-sectarian basis."