Hariri Lashes Out at Geagea over 'Political Fate' Remarks

Ex-PM Saad Hariri on Wednesday blasted his once-close ally Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea over remarks the latter made to Egyptian daily al-Ahram.

“I didn’t know that your calculations are this accurate. Was I supposed to thank you because had it not been for you, I would have faced my end? Is this reasonable?” Hariri said in a sarcastic tweet.

“You believe that my political fate hinged on your decision? This is ridiculous. Either vapor is engulfing Maarab or you don’t know yet who Saad Hariri is,” a defiant Hariri added.

In his remarks to al-Ahram, which were released earlier in the day, Geagea suggested that Hariri would have faced the end of his political career had he not resigned as premier in the wake of the October 17 uprising.

“I did not end my support for Saad Hariri, but the circumstances were totally inappropriate for him to remain as premier. It might have spelled his end. This was our belief and calculations,” Geagea said when told by his interviewer that he had “abandoned” Hariri.

“We needed a big change in Lebanon and we still do, seeing as we cannot continue in the same way and with the same persons,” the LF leader added.