Hariri Clarifies His Remarks on Hizbullah's Arms

Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday clarified remarks he gave to a French magazine about Hizbullah's weapons, after his statement drew a storm of criticism from Hizbullah's critics.

“What I said in (the) Paris Match (interview) was clear like the sun. We have a truce with Hizbullah the same as they have a truce with us. We do not deny what happened in the past, but we are seeking to protect the country's stability whereas some parties are seeking to stir strife in the country,” Hariri tweeted from Paris.

In the interview with Paris Match, Hariri said “in Lebanon, Hizbullah has a political role. It has weapons, of course, but it is not using them on Lebanese soil.”

Many Hizbullah opponents, including ex-minister Ashraf Rifi and ex-MP Fares Soaid, criticized Hariri over the remarks, with some reminding him of Hizbullah's use of its arms domestically during the May 2008 clashes and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's indictment of five Hizbullah operatives over the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri.

Lebanon was plunged into a political crisis after Hariri announced a surprise resignation from Riyadh on November 4, lambasting the policies of Hizbullah and Iran in Lebanon and the region.

Hariri's shock resignation and its sharp-toned announcement raised fears that regional tensions were about to escalate and that Lebanon would once again pay a heavy price.

But Hariri put his resignation on hold after around two weeks, demanding the withdrawal of Hizbullah from the region's conflicts in order to maintain the 2016 political settlement that led to the formation of his government and to the election of President Michel Aoun.