Rifi to Raad: Those Criticizing Usurpation of Yemenis' Will Have Condemned themselves in Syria

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi criticized Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc chief MP Mohmmed Raad's response to Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri over the developments in Yemen and Iran's role in the region, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Friday.

He said: “Those speaking against the usurpation of the will of the Yemeni people have condemned themselves in supporting the actions of the Syrian regime, which has destroyed its cities and villages on its residents.”

“Those who consider the condemnation of Saudi Arabia as a national, constitutional, humanitarian, and moral commitment are up to their ears in the developments in Syria, which is witnessing the worst humanitarian massacre in the history of people demanding their freedom and dignity,” the minister added.

“Hizbullah, through Raad's statement, is right in saying that intelligence lies in learning from experiences and avoiding repeating the same mistakes. Cleverness lies in avoiding transforming people into fuel for the dreams of an empire that is obsessed with fragmenting Arab entities and seizing control of their capitals,” Rifi stressed in reference to Hizbullah's main ally Iran and its regional ambitions.

“He is also right in saying that the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah have strategic differences in that the movement searches for the future, while you return to the past without learning from history's lessons,” he remarked.

“Hizbullah has added to its black record under the tutelage of Iran a new characteristic that would not have emerged had it not been for the Saudi-led Decisive Storm military operation in Yemen that is aimed at saving it from the clutches of the delusions of the Persian empire,” he continued.

“Hizbullah is playing the role of the obedient pawn in Iran's hands. Iran is orchestrating the battles of influence in the Arab world through the party, its Huthi brothers, Syrian regime, and sectarian majority in Iraq,” he said.

“The attack against Saudi Arabia was caused by its mission to preserve the sovereignty of Yemen against Hizbullah's Huthi brothers who seek to repeat the actions of May 7 in Sanaa and Aden,” he noted.

He was referring to the May 7, 2008 clashes that erupted when gunmen belonging to Hizbullah and its allies swept through Beirut’s neighborhoods after the government of then Premier Fouad Saniora decided to dismantle the group's telecom network and sack airport security chief Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shqeir.

Raad condemned on Thursday Hariri's recent remarks against the criticism directed to Saudi Arabia, saying that linking Iran to the developments in Yemen and Lebanon are a “major mistake.”

“Only ignorants and cowards remain silent over Saudi Arabia's genocide in Yemen,” he stressed.

“Condemning the Saudi intervention in Yemen and its military aggression against its land, army, and people is a national, constitutional, humanitarian, and moral commitment that should rein in the aggressors, warn them of the dangerousness of their actions, and steer developments towards a peaceful solution to the crisis.” declared Raad.

Hariri on Wednesday had slammed Iran's expansionist plans in the region, defended Saudi Arabia, and attempts to link Lebanon to the neighboring conflicts.

M.T.

H.K.