Hizbullah, Amal Accuse March 14 of Seeking to Ignite Strife over Illegal Construction

Hizbullah MP Nawaf Moussawi accused the March 14 forces of seeking to avenge the March 8 coalition, mainly Hizbullah and Amal, by pitting southerners against each other over illegal construction on state property.

Moussawi told As Safir daily in remarks published Thursday that March 14, led by al-Mustaqbal movement, sought to “ignite sectarian strife” by pitting neighbors against each other and stirring animosity within the same family members.

He stressed that Hizbullah and Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal movement reject illegal construction and have given instructions to abide by the law.

As Safir said Wednesday that more than 500 violations have been made in several towns in the south. Around 1,000 residential units were built on thousands of acres of public property, according to estimates.

On Wednesday, Hizbullah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem accused Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri of “sabotage,” and said he was seeking to spread “chaos” in the south.

Berri also said the issue was “leading to strife and chaos” and blamed security authorities for not assuming their responsibilities in combating such violations.

The statements of the Hizbullah and Amal officials came as angry residents blocked roads in the southern Beirut neighborhood of Ouzai and the town of Tayr Dibba in the south on Wednesday after a crackdown by security forces on illegal property.

At dawn Thursday, several residents of the southern Beirut suburb of Bourj al-Barajneh pelted a police patrol with stones and opened fire on them, causing damages to two vehicles, the National News Agency reported.

NNA said that the security forces later pulled out of the area.

The incidents came as south Lebanon witnessed a police crackdown on illegal construction on public property in recent weeks.