We Are Ready To Pay An Acceptable Price For a National Unity Government
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that neither March 14 nor 8 Forces is capable of governing the country alone adding: "If the opposition wins the elections we wish to form a national unity government."
Qassem said that this form of government has " a high and reasonable price. We are ready to pay this reasonable price, if the other side agrees."
In an interview with the daily al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday Qassem said that statistics for both March 8 and 14 Forces say to either party that they would win the June 7 elections.
"That is why neither party has an interest in not holding the elections," Qassem, said.
Hizbullah”s deputy secretary-general is in charge of coordinating the party”s election process, but not for the opposition.
"We are taking special measures for municipal and legislative elections. Today we have formed two committees for every district, the first committee”s task is follow up on procedural measures and the other follows up political contacts with our allies and pass its findings to the central level," Qassem said.
He affirmed that opposition forces would run united in all districts in Lebanon with the hope of running a "fair and honest campaign at all districts."
Qassem divided districts into three types: districts that are overwhelmingly supportive of the opposition, highly competitive districts, and third, districts that are more favorable to the current parliamentary majority.
According to Qassem the parliamentary minority election campaign would run under two considerations: reason d”etre and for establishing a new political status in Lebanon.
Qassem wants the electoral battle to be comprehensive "without any settlements made under the table." He referred to Beirut”s second district saying: "there is the Doha agreement which we are committed to. However, we had no discussions with MP Saad Hariri, nor did his party contact us. If they do and a consensus is reached for implementing a mechanism then we shall commit to that."
The former chemistry teacher summarized the "resistance”s" program in saying: "to protect the country, to reject foreign tutelage, to solve economic issues on the basis that people have social needs, to end financial corruption, not to pawn the country to foreign firms, equal development in all regions."
He added that electoral lists would be ready by mid March. He also said that the dispute between Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun is fabricated "when both men meet at the table each would make concessions to the other."
Qassem denied that Hizbullah is the one that decides election lists but adds that his party enjoys the trust of all its allies, with no competition among them.
When asked about the Gaza war and why his party did not support the Palestinians during the war he answers: "what good is it to inflame the Lebanese front?"
"We are a resistance and not an army, resistance works on keeping the enemy busy in its own territory. Moreover, by opening the Lebanese front we would be diverting attention from what is happening in Gaza. Israel goes around playing the role of the victim saying Hizbullah is harassing it. This harms the resistance in Palestine," he said.
He referred to Israel”s Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni who called on Europe during the Gaza war to understand Israel”s motives not support it.
He believed that Israel erred following its 2006 war with Hizbullah by relying on its air force power again in Gaza saying: "the first strike targeted the Palestinian police, which is not a military accomplishment. It failed to strike and hit Hamas” political and military establishment. This shows weak intelligence capabilities, they remain incapable of regaining their image of prevention."
"They failed again to seriously use their land forces," Qassem said.