Hariri Against Army-People-Resistance Equation if Turned into 'Tool' in Hizbullah's Hands

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Tuesday that "there is no alternative to the State and its institutions."

"We shall struggle with all our strength for the success of the project of the State whatever the challenges and difficulties might be because there is no alternative to the State and its institutions, and we will spare no effort in this regard," Hariri said during a meeting at the Center House with Mustaqbal Movement delegations and Beiruti families.

Hariri hit back at Speaker Nabih Berri over the latter's accusation that the outgoing premier had abandoned the "army-people-resistance equation."

"I listened to Speaker Nabih Berri saying that we have abandoned the 'army-people-resistance equation,' and the truth is that there are some who want this equation to be above the will of the State," Hariri said.

"We're with the army-people-resistance equation if it remains under the State's authority, but we will reject it when some assume that the army, the people and the State are tools in their hands," he added.

Addressing "those who are attacking the political discourse of March 14," Hariri went on to say: "Isn't the campaign against the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the insistence to disrupt the international justice regarding the murder of Martyr PM Rafik Hariri a direct call for provocation and a violation of the rules of national consensus?"

He stressed that any retreat from the "national consensus" on the STL "will not annul it and will not manage to disrupt the course of justice."

"Our right to defend this cause is legitimate and will not be subject to intimidation from now on," Hariri vowed.

He stressed that his political camp's campaign against the so-called "supremacy of arms" is not aimed at targeting a particular community.

"They want to reverse the truth and to portray the campaign as targeting the Shiite community. And I sincerely and frankly say that this is a political lie par excellence because our campaign doesn't target the Shiite community, its role or status," Hariri noted.

"It targets all the Lebanese and non-Lebanese parties and organizations which are using weapons as a means for internal blackmail and pressure on the national and political life," he added, noting that "the Shiite community is the first victim of the supremacy of weapons."