Lebanon Marks Rafik Hariri's 17th Assassination Anniversary

Prime Minister Najib Miqati tweeted Monday on the 17th anniversary of the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri that "we especially remember his wisdom and determination, during this difficult situation."

Miqati later arrived with MP Fouad Saniora at Hariri's tomb in Beirut downtown to commemorate the assassination, as Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi laid a wreath at the tomb.

"We insist on holding the parliamentary elections as a gateway for the Lebanese to reach their constitutional rights and build the state," Mawlawi said, adding that Rafik Hariri was martyred "for the sake of building the state."

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat also visited the grave of the former Prime Minister.

"We must be patient and persevere," Jumblat said. "And we will persevere," he added.

For his part, Lebanese Forces party chief Samir Geagea tweeted that the ex-PM's assassination was an attempt to "assassinate a project," describing Rafik Hariri as a "political Lebanese project" that put Lebanon on the Arab and international map.

"The Axis of Defiance assassinated him, believing that this assassination would destroy his project," Geagea said.

He added that Hariri's blood united the Lebanese, Christians and Muslims.

"They revolted on March 14 in an unprecedented million-strong uprising, chanting Lebanon first, the state first and sovereignty first," Geagea said.

"And this is how it will be," he concluded.