Franjieh: Hariri's Hatred towards Assad Stems from Sectarian Feelings
Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh on Thursday announced his rejection of a possible rise to power by Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood, saying “I cannot accept those who believe that it is permissible to spill my blood.”
In an interview on LBC television, Franjieh revealed that ex-PM Saad Hariri had allegedly told him Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was “totally innocent” of his father’s 2005 assassination and that “the Iranians were behind the assassination” of former premier Rafik Hariri.
“That’s why I say that his (Saad Hariri’s) hatred towards Assad stems from sectarian feelings and that was demonstrated through his support for (ousted Egyptian leader) Hosni Mubarak and others,” Franjieh charged.
“The Hariri dynasty has been trying to dominate the country and impose pro-Sunni policies, but this is an impossible scheme,” he noted.
Asked about the possibility of Assad being ousted by the eight-month revolt rocking his nation, Franjieh said: “On a personal level, and given my ties with him, I would be losing a brother and a bet on a political alliance that dates back to (former) president (Suleiman) Franjieh’s era.”
“We respect the Syrian people, but aren’t the residents of Aleppo and Damascus part of this people?” he said, referring to the recent pro-Assad rallies in Syria’s largest two cities and economic powerhouses.
Franjieh added that Assad is being pressured in order to “give up his support for Hizbullah, Iran and the Palestinian cause.”
“Many people believe that Syria will be fragmented, but President Assad totally rejects such a hypothesis and he also rejects the stirring of sectarian sentiments,” the MP went on to say.
Addressing the domestic issues, Franjieh voiced his satisfaction with Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s performance.
“He is practicing his political centrism,” the Marada leader added.
Asked about Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil’s policies, Franjieh said the latter “has the right to discuss his projects in detail.”
“But he is tiresome and he has exhausted the country and the Lebanese,” Franjieh said of the energy minister.
“I’m not with tasking (Labor Minister) Charbel Nahhas with confronting Harirism, because his approach is Marxist and I don’t believe that it is valid,” Franjieh went on to say.
He also declared his rejection of a VAT hike “as it won’t solve the deficit problem.”
Asked about the controversial issue of funding the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Franjieh said: “We had deemed it unconstitutional since the very beginning.”
over 12 years
I am proud to support Mr Frangieh the only person to be a member of every cabinet during the Syrian occupation and the man who ordered the Lebanese army to shoot anyone trying to get to martyr's square on March 14 2005. He gave the Syrian occupation the Christian cover they sorely needed.
over 12 years
This guy is still living in the 18th century .
over 12 years
What did you say Franjieh? Did you have some "evidence" about the killing of Harriri that you didn't tell the court?
Either way....i wonder who in Lebanon was connected to either Syria or Iran to carry out the killing? Does it start with an "H". The whole Iran-Syria-Hezz-stooge connection is going to go the way Qaddafi went. Get ready. In 60 days no one will hear your words.
over 12 years
ويللي بيكفر غيرو وبيحللو دمو ويللي بيذبح غيرو عايش بالقرن ٢١ ؟
over 12 years
العلوي عالتابوت والمسيحي عابيروت والسني عالبيوت والنسوان بالتخوت ...هيدا عايش بالقرن ٢١ ؟
over 12 years
HOW do Lebanese BLINDLY follow such imbeciles! Grow up lebanon and be independent thinkers and not sheep. Just because someones fatehr or grandfather was a leader it doesnt mean its a genetic trait passed on.
In any other context/country this man would be laughed at as a clown..yet funnily you all worship him(along with other idiots of the March 8 camp!)
unbelievable!!
over 12 years
But you got to admit that Frangieh says it as it is!! He didnt' say he supports Assad's regime or endorse Baathism, he is only saying that he has a personal relationship with Bashar (we all know that) and for that reason he supports him.
Deep inside he knows Bashar is finished, it may take few more months, but the Syrians people much like the Libyan people will achieve victory.
over 12 years
I'm sick and tired of hearing politicians tell us that losing a despot in the Arab world will certainly lead to the extremists taking over. What kind of proof have they presented to back this claim. None. Let's quickly review the various Arab revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. None of these countries have seen the rise of a regime that is worse than the one that was kicked out. Why should it happen in Syria?
Justifying the continued existence of rulers who have overstayed their welcome by scaring us of who may replace them is simply not convincing. It's fear-mongering at its worst.
over 12 years
Reminder: Hafez Assad regime was directly involved in the massacre of Suleiman's father, Tony Frangieh and his entire family in 1978 06 13, an act that split the Lebanese Christian alliance.
We are still feeling the effect...
over 12 years
Retarded boy
over 12 years
let us hear you when bashar is destroyed and let us know where you will be hiding!
over 12 years
What an embarrassing human being. Stupid franjieh
over 12 years
lol@ admin you guys make me laugh keep deleting my posts maybe you all should join those axed dictators who stop free speech.Praise be to God for civil war in Syria.Thank you
over 12 years
Hi commentators.
You all want a new Lebanon? No, not really because your words sound quite different and you are not the kind of human and social thinking people. Your language is disgraceful. The whole world reads your racist, sectarian, misanthropical comments.
Shame on you!
over 12 years
@STL Fairy Tale
Well well... you seem to be quite a treat!
So you're the better person right?
Still, you lecture the people on this forum who freely express an opinion. If you dislike it,...don't read it. There are millions of forums, blogs, web sites where I am sure you can find your interrest.
Your comment is the most misanthropical I have read here so far.
Cheers!
over 12 years
the filthy zionist information war department discovered another maronite leader that is not allied to them and is now under orders to spit on him as much as they can
over 12 years
fairy tale is talking about frangie it seems.."Your language is disgraceful. The whole world reads your racist, sectarian, misanthropical comments. "."
over 12 years
8 azar strategy is very simple. 7omsiyye. We have weapons, lets say THEY do. We killed HIM and we HATE him, let's say THEY killed HIM and they HATE us. it's a bit like when a lawyer tries to defend someone. But 14 are not better anyway. Generally speaking, Lebanese are a bunch of fucking racist bastards. ya 7aram ya lebnen... wala 7aram.
over 12 years
@peace
LOL good one!
over 12 years
The "Thrirty Pieces of Silver" will come back to haunt the Traitors the likes of Frajieh and Aoun and others it always has throughout history, the day of reckoning is getting closer by the day....
over 12 years
@ the patriot
@ peace
You are the future of Lebanon? Pity the nation!
over 12 years
I wish you guys would keep your mouths shut. What right do you have to open your mouths about Frangieh? He is one of the few honest politicians left in Lebanon who has not changed from side to side unlike YOUR leaders Hariri, Jumblatt, etc.
What right does the Hariri family have to control Lebanon? How stupid are you people for supporting someone who stood underneath a massive portrait of King Abdullah in Beirut just a few months ago?
And you want to talk about who is buying who?
Where were your friends and allies to save you from Israel;s crimes in Lebanon? Where were your allies to back you up in May 7 2008?
Stop embarassing yourselves, PLEASE.
over 12 years
I agree 100 per cent with Franjeh Hariri thinks all Lebanon should bow to the Sunni and Saudia Arabia.
Hariri didn't become prime minister of Lebanon in the past on his merits as he has very little knowledge of ploitics it's embarrasing when you hear him speaks.
over 12 years
Sead Hariri you make me laugh when he speaks about politics I feel very embarrased he does not have a clue about what he is talking about he thinks all of Lebanon should bow to him, Saudia Arabia and the West for that matter who does he think he is.
poor frangieh... happy to be a collaborator of those who murdered thousands of lebanese... don t you feel ridiculous?
now the new M8 fashion: accusing others of sectarian feelings,after calling them traitors , a danger to lebanon !
hopefully being ridiculous doesn t kill otherwise the majority of M8 would have been dead by now!