lebanon, March 13: The supporters of the Western-backed Lebanese alliance of March 14, led by former Premier Saad Hariri, have held and anti-Hezbollah demonstration in of Beirut.
Major highways leading to Beirut were blocked on Sunday, when the demonstrators took to the streets, targeting the resistance movement’s defensive power,
They shouted, “The people want the fall of arms,” filling the city’s central Martyrs’ Square and waving the flags of the coalition parties.
“There can be no rule of the state in Lebanon as long as there is the rule of arms,” said one protester.
The United States and Saudi-backed March 14 alliance was formed following the 2005 assassination of Rafiq Hariri, Saad’s father and the former prime minister. The group has recently drawn up a document sharply criticizing the resistance group’s role in the country.
Hezbollah, an active participant in the defense and political arena, was permitted by the unity government to keep its arms which it says will be only used to defend Lebanon against Israel.
Tel Aviv launched wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, were killed in the 33-Day War of 2006.
On both occasions, however, the movement defeated the Israeli forces and Tel Aviv was compelled to withdraw its forces without having achieved any of its objectives.
Hezbollah has vowed to respond with determination to any potential Israel-launched warfare.
—–Agencies