The leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah said Monday that last week's shooting in Beirut – in which seven Shiite Muslims were shot dead – was a dangerous development and marked a new phase in the country's internal politics.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
In a televised speech, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah lashed out at the Christian Lebanese Forces party and its head Samir Geagea, repeating accusations that they were responsible for the killings on Thursday.
"The real agenda of the Lebanese Forces is civil war," he said, adding that the army was the guarantee against such a conflict in the country and that his group would not be dragged into one.
Nasrallah showcased Hezbollah's power, stressing the group had 100,000 fighters but pointed out they were recruited to defend Lebanon from external enemies and not to engage in a civil war.
He said Hezbollah, which has become one of the most powerful players in Lebanese politics, was not the enemy of Lebanese Christians.
"The biggest threat to the Christian presence in Lebanon is the Lebanese Forces party and its head," Nasrallah said. "I advise the Lebanese Forces party to give up this idea of internal strife and civil war. You are wrong 100%, your calculations are wrong. The region has never seen Hezbollah as strong as it is now."
The bloodshed, which stirred memories of the 1975-1990 civil war, added to fears for the stability of a country that is awash with weapons and suffering an economic meltdown.
The LF has denied it started the fighting last week. It blamed the violence on Hezbollah "incitement" against Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator in an investigation into the port explosion.
Despite his tough stand, Nasrallah dedicated a significant part of his speech to trying to reassure Lebanon's Christians, saying Hezbollah was protecting their rights and is allied with the largest Christian party, the Free Patriotic Movement.
Lebanon's Shiite Amal movement, a Hezbollah ally, said earlier that the Beirut violence was intended to reignite internal strife and threaten peace.
The seven victims were killed as crowds headed for a demonstration called by Amal and Hezbollah to protest against Bitar.
Nasrallah reiterated his objection to the blast probe, which he has said is not objective, saying the way it was being handled would not lead to truth or justice.
Amal, which is led by Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, one of the most powerful political figures in the country, urged the authorities to arrest all those responsible for the violence.
The inquiry into the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion, which killed more than 200 people and devastated swathes of Beirut, has made little headway amid pushback from political factions, including Hezbollah.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
