Jumblatt accuses opposition of “rebellion”
Democratic Gathering bloc leader and MP Walid Jumblatt said on Monday the ruling coalition worked on building “the state of Lebanon,” while the opposition was countering such projects. “The majority”s policy is aimed at strengthening the project of the state to stand up to the rebellion against it. The March 14 Forces are still insisting on the revival of the state, no matter what,” Jumblatt told his Progressive Socialist Party”s Al-Anbaa magazine.
Commenting on Sunday”s violence in Zahle, Jumblatt said that what occured in the Bekaa Valley city revealed that the opposition has no intention of accepting diversity and was practicing a policy of systematic elimination against the governing coalition.
Two Phalange Party officials were gunned down in Zahle on Sunday after an opposition supporter, affiliated to MP Elias Skaff, opened fire on a crowd of Phalange supporters during an opening ceremony of a new Phalange office in the area, a security report said.
Security sources told The Daily Star on Sunday that Joseph al-Zouki opened fire on a Phalange crowd, killing Nasri Mourani and Salim Assi.
Rashid Assi, Salim”s brother, and Elias Issa were also seriously wounded in the shooting.
The security sources said that Phalange Party officials were blocking a number of roads in Zahle as part of security measures that coincided with the opening of the new office when Zouki tried to drive through a blocked road and was prevented from doing so.
After quarreling with the Phalange officials, Zouki left the scene to come back later to open fire on the crowd.
“The majority has been keen on preserving civil peace and internal stability and has proven that it is holding to the logic of a strong state capable of dissipating the fears of all parties,” Jumblatt said.
The Chouf legislator added that “the wise policy of the government has driven the opposition to lose its nerves, especially with the popular movements in the regions of Metn, Jbeil and Zahle calling for stability and for state institutions as the only framework to solve political disputes according to the constitution.”
Jumblatt told Al-Anbaa that dialogue within Parliament was the only way to reduce political distances between the feuding blocs and to reach a solution by electing a president.
Lebanon has been without a head of state since November, when Emile Lahoud”s term drew to a close. The political logjam has since prevented Parliament from naming his successor.