Phalange party MP Samer Saadeh accused Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun and his son-in-law, Energy Minister Gebran Bassil, of “inciting murder,” Al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported on Sunday.

The report added that Saadeh was assaulted on Saturday evening by Bassil supporters in Faraya following a debate over the removal of an electricity pole from land owned by Saadeh.

Saadeh told Al-Mustaqbal that Electricite du Liban installed the electricity pole in land in Farayya owned by his family.

Saadeh added that when his supporters tried to take down the pole, Bassil’s partisans arrived to the area, blocked the road, assaulted the MP and damaged his car.

“They shot at me in front of the Lebanese army, damaged my car which has an MP license plate , threatened to kill me and tried to force me to sign an approval to deploy the pole.”

Saadeh added that after the incident he went to the police to press charges against Bassil and Aoun for “inciting murder.”

Phalange party MP added that “Bassil thinks he is above the law because he is the son-in-law of Aoun, but he is wrong. We know who he is, and the residents of the Batroun region know Bassil well.”

The party voiced its disappointment that Syria continues to adopt a “negative policy” toward Lebanon instead of focusing on implementing reforms before “it is too late.”

The party commented about the Lebanese who are still in Syrian jails by saying that this issue should be pursued by the Lebanese cabinet with the Syrian authorities as soon as possible , as Gemayel has recommended following the amnesty declaration by president Assad was announced .

Commenting on the cabinet formation, the party reiterated its opposition to the cabinet in its current form and said that the current circumstances call for a cabinet that reflects the Lebanese people’s aspirations and upholds the country’s international commitments.

The party held the cabinet responsible for any confrontation with the international community which may negatively affect Lebanon’s finances and economy.

Armed clashes erupted in Tripoli on Friday following a rally in support of Syrian protesters. The military official of the Hezbollah and Syrian backed Arab Democratic Party, Ali Fares was killed and 6 others including one army soldier and a seven year old child. At least 59 others were reportedly injured and some are in serious condition .

Many analysts questioned why the Alawite party should have a military official .

Jabal Mohsen ( home of the Arab Democratic Party) and Bab al-Tabbaneh areas have been in recent years the scene of intense clashes between Sunni supporters of Lebanon’s former PM Saad Hariri and Alawites who are loyal to the Hezbollah-led coalition backed by Iran and Syria.

March 14 MP Hadi Hobeich said on Monday that weapons backed by Hezbollah were used in the clashes that broke out on Friday in northern Lebanon.

The males only cabinet of 30 ministers was announced last Monday by PM Nagib Mikati

MP Samer Saadeh who represents the Phalange party in the parliament told MTV on Monday“ that the country cannot persist with the existence of non-state arms adding that the arms are the main obstacle facing the state building efforts.” In reference to Hezbollah arms.

He drew a parallel between the current situation and 1975 when the civil war erupted .

“The 1975 civil war was caused by undermining the state’s sovereignty ,” he said

In 1975, a devastating civil war erupted in Lebanon leaving more than 100,000 dead and more than 300,000 displaced. It lasted 15 years

“Sayegh, by virtue of his ministerial position and as a party representative in the cabinet, absolutely remains a member of the Phalange political bureau and attends its meetings,” the council said.

Sayegh’s resignation was put at the disposal of Phalange Party leader and former president Amin Gemayel and the party’s political bureau “since the first day he took on his ministerial position,” the statement added.

“Sayegh enjoys the trust and appreciation of all Phalange [members], who are proud of his performance in the party and the ministry,” the statement said, denying media reports of disputes between Sayegh and the Phalange party .

Sayegh resigned from his post as the deputy leader of the Phalange party, Central News Agency reported on Friday. According to CNA, Sayegh took the decision in order to better fulfill his obligations in the Ministry .

“The Islamic republic of Iran, throughout eight years of imposed war, had not benefited from any weapons from the Zionist regime whatsoever in defending its territories.”

The statement is a response to Phalange party MP Nadim Gemayel, who asked on Tuesday if the Iranians were traitors when they defended Iran during their war with Iraq in the eighties using Israeli weapons.

Gemayel was talking about historical facts.

Oliver North, a US National Security Council member was at the center of national attention during the Iran-Contra affair

Gemayel was actually referring to the secret arms deal between the US and Iran that started in in 1985 and evolved into a big scandal that became known as the Iran – Contra affair. The deal involved supplying US made arms by Israel to Iran against releasing 7 US hostages held by Hezbollah in Lebanon. The proceeds of the sale were used to support the Nicaragua Contras who were fighting the communists …the Cuban-backed Sandinistas. The Contras were, according to Reagan, the moral equivalent of US “Founding Fathers.”

2,008 TOW missiles and 235 parts kits for Hawk missiles were reportedly sent to Iran via Israel according to the report of the U.S. Congressional Committees Investigating the Iran-Contra Affair issued in November 1987.

The British newspaper Observer estimated that Israel’s arms sales to Iran during the Iran-Iraq war totaled US$ 500 million annually , and Time Magazine reported that throughout 1981 and 1982, “the Israelis reportedly set up Swiss bank accounts to handle the financial end of the deals.

The embassy denied that the Iranians were dealing with the Israelis.

“Such false claims in this regard aim at distorting the image of the Islamic republic of Iran in the eyes of the public opinion in the region, but they will definitely not affect its steady policy of defending the rights of the aggrieved Palestinian people and the region’s peoples in the face of the extorter Zionist entity,” the embassy said

During a press conference on Wednesday Sami Gemayel said “the Lebanese resistance during the civil war … had no choice but to use the devil [Israel] in order to defend itself, [because] it was confronting the Syrian and Palestinian armies.”

The Phalange Party issued a statement on Monday in which it stated that mixing between the right of the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) to defend the country and that of Hezbollah might send the wrong signals to the international institutions jeopardize Lebanon’s credibility .

Granting the LAF an exclusive right to maintain the country’s security and stability will enhance its abilities, the statement added.

STL
“The government should reinforce its previous position regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and the international resolutions,” the statement added.

The Phalange Party added that some parties represented in the cabinet, a possible reference to Hezbollah, have issued statements that negatively affected Lebanon’s image as a country that respects its commitments.

This comes in a possible reference to Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s statements last month calling the STL an Israeli project aiming to incite sectarian strife in Lebanon.

Palestinian rights
“A political, economy and social study must be conducted before any laws pertaining to the Palestinian situation are adopted,” it added.

The issue of Palestinian rights sparked debate after MP Walid Jumblatt submitted a proposal to parliament on June 15 to grant Palestinian refugees in Lebanon civil rights and allow them to own property in Lebanon. The majority of Christian MPs voted against the bill.

The parliament is expected to tackle the matter during its Tuesday session

STL was formed by the United Nations to try the killers of former PM Hariri , who was assassinated on February 14 , 2005.

A report in the German Der Spiegel magazine dated May 2009 revealed a link between Hezbollah and the assassination of Lebanon’s former PM Rafik Hariri, father of the current prime minister.

Initially Syria was accused of being behind Hariri’s murder , but ever since the Der Spiegel report surfaced, all fingers have been pointing at Hezbollah. Many analysts however believe that Hezbollah could not have done it without Syria’s help. The relationship between Hariri and Assad was at its lowest point when the Lebanese PM was assassinated.

According to media reports the tribunal’s indictment will be issued before the end of 2010. There are also reports that some Hezbollah members are named in the indictment.

Lebanon Prime Minister Saad Hariri who was in Damascus on a two day official visit was asked on Sunday by a reporter about the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and his response was : “Let’s all deal with the matter calmly, ” MTV’s correspondent reported.

He made the statement following his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad .

In a well coordinated move Hezbollah and Syria’s allies have been attacking STL during the past several weeks.

Palestinian refugees
The Phalange party reiterated its “proclaimed stance” on improving the living conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, “especially after this stance has been met with comfort and welcoming by a Lebanese public opinion which is keen on the higher interests of Lebanon.”

The party voiced its rejection of “any proposal that may lead to a gradual legitimization of naturalization” of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, calling for “discussing all the aspects of the issue of Palestinian existence in Lebanon, from an Arab and international scope.”

Last month , during an extraordinary session of the parliament PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt proposed a bill that grants Palestinian refugees in Lebanon civil rights and allows them to own property. The bill was referred by Speaker Nabih Berri to the justice and administrative committee to study and submit recommendation to parliament .

Hezbollah and Amal MPs voted in favor of the bill, while the Phalange party , Lebanese Forces and Change and Reform blocs voted against it.

“One bomb was found at the main entrance of his house, and the second one was placed on his car’s windshield,” the statement said.

It added that the Lebanese authorities rushed to the scene and contacted the bomb squad to defuse the bombs.

The statement also said that “[today] marks the second commemoration of the murder of Nasri Marouni – the MP’s brother,” who was shot dead in Zahle in 2008.

Marouni condemns incident
Marouni known as a strong opponent of Syria told reporters on Tuesday after the authorities defused the two bombs that the explosives were simply placed for intimidation as well as for preventing him from following up on his brother’s murder.

“[The bombs] were also placed to stop me from participating in the [upcoming] municipal elections in Zahle,” Marouni said.

He called on Interior Minister Ziad Baroud and the relevant Lebanese authorities to enhance security measures near his residence and to set up a checkpoint there.

Judge investigating incident
Government Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr has reportedly arrived in Zahle to investigate the circumstances behind the two bombs

Zahle in our heart bloc MPs will hold a press conference in the upcoming hours to address the issue.

NNA said the convoy was on its way to take part in the opening ceremony of a Phalange party office in Ein Sifsaf.

NNA said the gunman was promptly arrested by Lebanese troops.

The Phalange party identified on its website the gunman as Faisal al-Asheq, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.

Bikfaya is the home town of former Lebanese president and Pahalange party leader Amin Gemayel

He added: “The day will come when the Airport Highway will be congested with (trucks loaded) by weapons, rockets and ammunition heading toward the defense ministry and that will be the day when Hezbuollah will hand over its weapons to the Lebanese State.”

“Hezbollah’s telecom network currently connects Lebanon to Syria and Iran, but in an illegitimate and illegal manner,” Gemayel told the gathering of over 3500 party members and officials .

“The relation with Syria must be a state-to-state relation and it should be the responsibility of the president and the premier,” Gemayel added, noting that “Lebanon’s interest lies in being on good terms with Syria, but this crawling toward Damascus is meaningless and overbidding doesn’t benefit Lebanon.”

As for the Phalange , Gemayel said the party is more organized than ever before, and denied rumors his party wants to sell its office headquarters in downtown Beirut

Former Lebanese president and Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel reiterated his call for “best relations with Syria through achieving essential (Lebanese) demands,” encouraging “the steps of PM Saad Hariri in this regard as long as Syria responds with the Lebanese steps.”

“Security will not stabilize as long as there are groups who are protecting themselves with certain immunities and as long as there is no accountability in shadow of the existence of groups operating away from State’s decision,” Gemayel added.

“Have we decided to assign our security and national defense to outlaw groups?” Gemayel wondered.

Earlier Sunday, Gemayel said “no one wants to fight Hezbollah at the dialogue (table),” but stressed that “intimidation must stop.”

During an interview with Future News television on Saturday , Gemayel stressed that the defense strategy should be “seriously and objectively” discussed at the dialogue table, pointing out that talks at the table are better than street protests.