Defiant Hariri Calls Himself 'Father of Sunnis', Says 'Won't be Defeated'

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri delivered a defiant speech on Tuesday and accused Hizbullah of blocking the formation of the new government for a reason that is “bigger” than the so-called Sunni representation obstacle.

“There are sides who do not want the country to take a chance and they don’t like the presence of a government and state institutions and they think that sects should come before the state,” Hariri said at a press conference.

“There is a decision by Hizbullah’s leaders to block the government and I regret that the party is playing the role of obstruction,” Hariri added, noting that Hizbullah is defying President Michel Aoun and all Lebanese, “not only Saad Hariri.”

“No one has the right to say that a certain sect’s representation is being monopolized as he monopolizes an entire sect’s representation,” the PM-designate added, in an apparent jab at Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

“Hizbullah cannot dictate on me whom I should represent. Had these people (pro-Hizbullah Sunni MPs) run in the elections as one bloc, it would have been my duty to represent them, but this is not the right way to talk to your partner in the country,” Hariri went on to say.

“Things don’t need all this screaming and intimidation,” Hariri added, addressing Nasrallah.

Wondering why Hizbullah “did not name one of them from its own share,” the PM-designate warned that the government is a “national necessity” at all levels.

“I have done my part and let all parties shoulder their responsibilities so that the country can move forward,” he added.

“Today I do not have a solution or else I would have visited the president,” said Hariri in response to a reporter’s question.

“The constitution tasks the PM-designate with forming the government in agreement with the President and there is no third person with them. Period,” a defiant Hariri added.

And describing himself as “the father of Sunnis” in Lebanon, the PM-designate emphasized that he knows what “serves their interest.”

“Saad Hariri will not be defeated despite their attempts that have persisted throughout the past 13 years.” Hariri underlined.

The government was on the verge of formation on October 29 after the Lebanese Forces accepted the portfolios that were assigned to it but a last-minute hurdle over the representation of the aforementioned Sunni MPs surfaced.

Hizbullah has insisted that the six Sunni MPs should be given a seat in the government, refraining from providing Hariri with the names of its own ministers in a bid to press him.

President Aoun -- a Hizbullah ally -- threw his support behind Hariri and rejected the demand during a TV interview, noting that the aforementioned MPs are “individuals and not a bloc.”

Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil is meanwhile trying to convince the rival parties to accept a settlement based on naming a “consensus” Sunni minister.

Timeline
  • 13 November 2018, 15:56

    Hariri to Nasrallah: Addressing your partners in the country in that way is unacceptable.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:55

    Hariri: You want to talk about loyalty? Loyalty should be to the country, the people, the Taef Accord, the economy and stability.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:53

    Hariri: I’m “the father of Sunnis” in Lebanon and I know what serves their interest.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:49

    Hariri: I do not allow anyone to accuse me of sectarian incitement and this is not Rafik Hariri’s school.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:47

    Hariri to Nasrallah: Things don’t need all this screaming and intimidation.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:45

    Hariri: The consequences that the country will bear are upon Hizbullah’s responsibility.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:44

    Hariri: I said from the beginning that I don’t want problems with anyone and I told them to “search for someone else.”

  • 13 November 2018, 15:41

    Hariri: The constitution tasks the PM-designate with forming the government in agreement with the President and there is no third person with them. Period.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:37

    Hariri: The government is a national necessity and I have done my part and let all parties shoulder their responsibilities so that the country can move forward.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:32

    Hariri: Some were betting that the LF will further impede the formation process.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:30

    Hariri to Nasrallah: No one has the right to say that a certain sect’s representation is being monopolized as he monopolizes an entire sect’s representation

  • 13 November 2018, 15:24

    Hariri: I regret that Hizbullah has obstructed the formation of the government and I did not think that things can be approached like this in the face of the President and not only Saad Hariri.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:20

    Hariri: I will not cheat the Lebanese by saying that I’m optimistic.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:18

    Hariri: The country ran into a barrier after the speech of Hizbullah's secretary-general.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:17

    Hariri: There are sides who do not want the country to take a chance and they don’t like the presence of a government and state institutions.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:15

    Hariri: The obstacle is bigger than the issue of March 8’s Sunni MPs.

  • 13 November 2018, 15:15

    Hariri: All Lebanese know that my political rhetoric has always been full of optimism despite circumstances and threats and I have always said that the country deserves a new chance.

Comments 20
Thumb marcus 13 November 2018, 15:22

Hariri: I will not cheat the Lebanese by saying that I’m optimistic.

You cheated the Lebanese when you struck a deal with aoun and hezbollah to become PM and in exchange you agreed to support the proportional election law. What are you complaining about now?

Thumb chrisrushlau 13 November 2018, 23:58

Is he still in Paris?

Thumb warrior 14 November 2018, 02:25

Are you still in tehran?

Thumb galaxy 13 November 2018, 15:58

Hariri: I’m “the father of Sunnis” in Lebanon and I know what serves their interest.

lol

aoun and nasrallah played good cop bad cop; outsmarted you, outmaneuvered you so GTFO!

Thumb _citizen_ 13 November 2018, 16:00

southern...... 'patriotic' to Bani Majus

Thumb Kompromat 13 November 2018, 16:07

The shee3a minority's is usurping the of the president and prime minister's privileges only because it has a mercenary militia with illegal weapons.

Thumb marcus 13 November 2018, 16:32

"Let's not diminish the relevance of our boys! "

@POS
Our boys?????
I believe you mentioned you were Westerner and a Christian?

Thumb marcus 13 November 2018, 16:33

"Let's not diminish the relevance of our boys! "

@POS
Our boys?????
I believe you mentioned you were Westerner and a Christian?

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 13 November 2018, 17:08

lol @Marcus;))!!

Many westerners like tric.portugal; the french blablablabla, and libanaisresilient support the shia hezbollah.

Thumb fakenews 13 November 2018, 19:36

Before Hezbollah Lebanon was noticed for the right reasons. After Hezbollah it was noticed for the wrong reasons. Before Hezbollah it was known as a center of finance, a tourist hub, a cultural center. Even during the war years there was always hope. Hezbollah came with the task of replacing the culture we all share to some extent with a Jihadist culture that is foreign to us. That has never been a secret they admit it.

Thumb fakenews 14 November 2018, 02:05

History didn't begin with your birth LR. If you did hear about something does not mean it didn't exist. You fit the saying ignorance is bliss to a T. You suffer from the lack of curiosity or you wouldn't be doubling down on a fallacy. You don't need to be a genius to verify What I said. So please for your own sake stop commenting about things you know nothing about. Go read a couple of books about pre-war Lebanon. You might find this very informative and enjoyable. Maybe then you'd honestly want to call yourself libanaisfier rather than Hezbollah fanboy. As for being a sex destination you might be projecting onto Lebanon the things you dislike in wherever you are from.

Your Arab perverts
https://www.vogue.com/article/beirut-guide-from-brigitte-bardot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umA-9t7xTbk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyPr5h9TbAU&t=429s

Thumb justin 13 November 2018, 16:15

Hariri: Saad Hariri will not be defeated

you have already been defeated and the sad thing is you fail to see it.

Thumb fakenews 13 November 2018, 17:20

Nasrallah had promised even insisted that he'll not interfere in the formation of a government, then he was sent message through his own rag. So he complied.

ان القيادة السورية مستاءة من طريقة تعامل بعض قوى 8 آذار مع قضية توزير السُّنة المستقلين، متوقفة عند صمت هؤلاء وعدم دعمهم حق حلفائهم. ولفتت القيادة السورية إلى ان النواب السُّنة دفعوا ثمناً باهظاً بعد عام 2005، نتيجة علاقتهم بسوريا.
جريدة الأخبار 07/11/2018

Thumb fakenews 13 November 2018, 18:01

President Aoun and his block keep insisting that those are individuals and not a bloc. Four of them belong to three other blocks that are already represented and the reaming two just individual MPs. The criteria for getting cabinet posts is for blocks to be represented. Even smaller blocks like the Kataeb and the SSNP are not represented. The president is worried that if he accepts Hezballah's edicts what stops a couple of independent MPs of joining any of these two blocks; he will have to give them from his or the FPMs share. If the rule is now to represent individuals then the lone Shiite MP should also get his own cabinet seat. What the hell how about a cabinet of 128 members, make it 130 in care a couple of the old ones die.

Thumb fakenews 13 November 2018, 18:18

National unity governments is the most idiotic notion. It was put in place by the Syrian occupation so the Christians would be represented "fairly". Of course with all the main Christian parties persecuted and outlawed, the cabinet post went to pro-Syrian Christians. In 2005 following the four party accord this trend continued. Until 2011 when Nasrallah and his black shirts appointed Mikati to form the government. Omar Karame was too old he said. This should have being an incentive for the majority M14 to form a government, to do as Nasrallah had proposed before the 2009 election majority rules while minority sits in opposition. Nasrallah true to form refused the 8-8-8 and wasted nine month demanding at least 9-9-6 before it's too late. After Iran nuclear deal was about to take effect Nasrallah magically accepted the 8-8-8 formula.

Thumb thepatriot 13 November 2018, 19:19

I don't like Hariri much, but I guess this time he finally grew a pair... it's a bout time...

Thumb beiruti 13 November 2018, 20:59

Hezbollah demanding certain Sunnis be seated in the Council of Ministers is, under Lebanon's confessional system, an obstructionist tactic. No one would accept that at risk of having such a thing imposed on them. What if The Shia wanted to name Christian Ministers, or Sunni wanted to name Shia. There are "Third Way Shia" who are part of Mustaqbel, but, Saad has not insisted on their inclusion.

Hezbollah names its own Shia, it has some influence on Aoun to name his "Presidential" minister, and the Tayyar bloc ministers and now they want to demand the Sunni as well??? It is pure obstruction and nothing else as no Sunni bloc leader would accept.

Thumb beiruti 14 November 2018, 02:53

Still, it’s a bad precedent for all of the confessional groups. The non-Mostaqbel Sunni should speak for themselves, not have a Shia advocate. If they win portfolios, they will be beholding to Hezbollah. It is how they have extended their grip over the country, including its Christian politicians.

Missing peace007 13 November 2018, 21:25

Hariri is the father of nobody. What a complete fool. All that family has been good for is a national debt that can never be repaid.

Thumb liberty 14 November 2018, 18:01

sure it is only the hariri family who has been running the government and solely responsible for the national debt.

Filth!