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Sayyed Nasrallah Expresses Solidarity with Protesters, Says Opposes Gov’t Resignation

Posted on October 19, 2019 by martyrashrakat

Political Part after 18:35

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah expressed solidarity with protesters’ demands warning that if Hezbollah took to streets, it will not leave before reaching the goals that it came for, “even if we had to stay a day, a month, or a year or two.”

In a speech marking the Arbaeen occasion in Baalbek on Saturday, Sayyed Nasrallah warned that if Hezbollah took to streets, all equations will be changed, but this time has yet to come. His eminence expressed opposition to calls for the resignation of Lebanon’s government, vowing not to allow anyone to “burn” Lebanon and take it to abyss. “Shall Hezbollah respond to demands urging us to participate in the demonstrations, we won’t back down until our demands are met even if we had to stay for months in the streets,” his eminence said.

Sayyed Nasrallah said Hezbollah was determined to solve the country’s problems and not allow anyone to drown this country and lead it to chaos.

Hezbollah S.G. explained that the problems in the country were “systematic” and would not be fixed by a change of government, given that the new government would most probably include the same combination of already existing political factions.

“We do not support the resignation of the current government and the luxury of forming a new government does not exist,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, adding that if the current government fails to address the crisis, no other government can. Forming a new one would be “a waste of time, because if the government was political, it will be the same parties but different names for ministers.”

“The current crisis is not something new, it has been accumulating for the last ten or twenty years.”

Sayyed Nasrallah criticized all political factions and officials who are relinquishing their responsibilities and throwing blames on others, saying everyone, without exceptions, should shoulder his responsibilities for how thing turned out. “Everyone must shoulder his responsibility and coordinate efforts to find a solution. You may not rule the country for the last 30 years and turn the blame on others today.”

Officials must realize the people’s inability to tolerate new taxes and fees, Sayyed Nasrallah said, adding that “some in power thought that raising taxes can pass again like before, they go for the easier choice, the people’s pockets. However, the demonstrations relayed a strong message to officials that they won’t bear or tolerate that anymore.”

Lauding the demonstrations for being spontaneous and independent from any foreign or domestic political influence, Sayyed Nasrallah warned demonstrators to beware of the rallies being hijacked or adopted by political groups.

“It was enough for the information minister to announce the decision to announce the WhatsApp fees, when people went outraged to streets. But that wasn’t the only reason, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Sayyed Nasrallah said. Addressing demonstrators, His eminence said: “Your demonstrations have borne fruit and the fees on Whatsapp were withdrawn. We respect your cries but you must not deviate from your main cause.”

Sayyed Nasrallah also called for a “new spirit” in resolving the country’s problems which he described as a “problem of confidence” between the government and the people, and warned that if taxes were to be imposed on the poor or other necessities were to arise, Hezbollah would act accordingly.

Hezbollah leader hailed Baalbek citizens who have neither abandoned Imam Hussein back then, nor now. He also saluted millions of pilgrims who thronged out from all over the world towards Imam Hussein’s shrine in Karbala.

Sayyed Nasrallah’s speech came two days after the nationwide protests against new taxes and the deteriorating economic and living conditions in the country.

Source: Al-Manar English Website

Lebanon Protests: Hariri Gives 72-Hour Deadline to Solve Crisis, Bassil Says Government Should Resign

Posted on October 18, 2019 by martyrashrakat

Lebanon Protests: Hariri Gives 72-Hour Deadline to Solve Crisis, Bassil Says Government Should Resign

By Staff

The Lebanese people took to the streets on Thursday night to protest against new taxes imposed by the government, and are still rallying until the moment.

The spontaneous popular movement paralyzed the entire country as angry protesters blocked almost all main roads and many other areas in protest against the Lebanese government that led the country’s already ailing economy to the brink.

After about 24 hours of non-stopping protests, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri addressed the nation in a brief speech in which he confessed that the country is passing through an unprecedented critical situation.

“I feel the pain of the Lebanese and I support every peaceful movement,” Hariri said.

He further gave the Lebanese political parties a 72-hour deadline to agree on a solution to the current crisis.

For his part, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil spoke earlier in the day, stressing that proposing a firm solution to the budget and the economy is a must.

The protests that have swept across Lebanon over the past two days should be used as an opportunity to rescue the country, rather than let it descend into turmoil, Bassil said.

“What is happening could either be an opportunity to save Lebanon or create chaos,” Bassil said, following a meeting of ministers from the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc at Baadba Palace, headed by President Michel Aoun.

He further set a condition for the government, saying it should resign hadn’t it approved the budget before the 31st of this month.

On Thursday night, bodyguards of Minister of Education and Higher Education Akram Shehayeb opened fire on protesters who blocked the road in front of his convoy in Beirut.

Today, also, a young man lost his life in north Lebanon after bodyguards of former MP Musbah al-Ahdab opened fire against angry protesters who didn’t want him to participate in their rally.