LF Hits Out at Hariri: We Don't Need Protection against 'Evil Eye'
The Lebanese Forces on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his al-Mustaqbal Movement without naming them, which indicates that the two parties will not be allied in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“We are facing several risks and it seems that we are heading to a situation that we do not want – a situation of economic collapse and threats against health and environment,” Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani of the LF said.
Hasbani was delivering LF leader Samir Geagea's speech at a ceremony to announce the LF's electoral list in the Zahle district.
“We do not need a Moroccan fortuneteller to know where the country is heading and we do not want methods that protect us from the evil eye because we have failed in everything. We have to rescue this country through our efforts,” Hasbani added, in an apparent jab at Hariri.
Hariri has recently quipped that “the LF need a Moroccan fortuneteller” who can explain their demands regarding the electoral alliances.
His Mustaqbal Movement has meanwhile chosen a blue eye-like symbol -- which in popular culture is used to repel the so-called “evil eye” – as its electoral logo and slogan.
The evil eye is a curse believed to be cast by a malevolent glare. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury. Talismans created to protect against the evil eye are also frequently called "evil eyes."
Hasbani lamented that Lebanese citizens “are being besieged daily by burning garbage whose effect is much worse than the wars around us.”
“We're fed up with words and promises. We want to develop state institutions through building a real state, in cooperation with the people, and through choosing non-corrupt individuals to build the state,” Hasbani added.
“They tell us, 'You either accept our ways or else there will be no electricity,' and we say, 'You either abide by the law or you go,'” the deputy PM went on to say.
Quoting informed sources, Kuwait's al-Jarida newspaper reported Sunday that Mustaqbal and the Lebanese Forces have told their electoral campaigns that the two parties will not ally in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“The two parties told their electoral campaigns to start working on the basis that there will no agreement between the LF and Mustaqbal,” the sources said.
Relations between the long-time allies were strained after some Mustaqbal officials accused the LF of inciting Saudi leaders to press Hariri to resign. The premier announced his controversial resignation in November from the Saudi capital but eventually rescinded it after reaching a deal with the Hizbullah-led camp.
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