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Hariri: Look into Israeli involvement in my dad's death

Lebanese newspaper as-Safir reports Lebanese prime minister prepared to adopt Hezbollah claims of Israeli responsibility for assassination of former premier

Lebanese newspaper as-Safir reported Thursday that Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had called for a serious investigation into Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah's claims of Israeli responsibility for the assassination of his father, former Lebanese Prime Minsiter Rafik Hariri.

 

The late Hariri was murdered in a car bomb explosion in Beirut in February 2005. His known anti-Syrian positions raised considerable suspicions of Syrian involvement in the hit, allegations which have been vehemently denied by the regime in Damascus.

 

However, a UN team investigating the incident intends to implicate Hezbollah in the murder. Ahead of the publication of the tribunal's results, Nasrallah said in a speech that he has "proof" of Israeli involvement in the hit.

 

According to Thursday's report in as-Safir, current Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri initiated a series of urgent meetings and conversations in order to discuss Hezbollah's claims around his father's assassination. For example, he met Wednesday with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Azizi in Riyadh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday.

 

The volatile situation has raised a serious predicament for Hariri, who is currently ruling a coalition government together with Hezbollah. According to as-Safir, Hariri told his associates that Nasrallah's statements were "very important and sensitive." As such, he supports dedicating all the time and efforts necessary to thoroughly examine the assertions made by the Hezbollah leader.

 

Hariri also said that Nasrallah expressed an opinion held by many Lebanese and presented information and documentation that cannot be ignored. "I, personally, support their examination. It is important for me to know the truth, both as the prime minister and as the son of the slain," said Hariri, according to the report.

 

The Lebanese prime minister added that should Israel decline to summon for investigation the witnesses likely to appear in Nasrallah's "proof," the Jewish State will be considered in his eyes as guilty, and not merely suspect. The newspaper also noted in its report that the prosecutor in the Hariri tribunal received the material Nasrallah presented in his latest speech.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.12.10, 13:45
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