Asia

Asia

â€˜Hizbullah-led govâ€™t would turn Lebanon into Gazaâ€™

23 January 2011 03:00 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Christian leader Samir Geagea warns Shiâ€™ite party will ruin economy, repress personal rights; Druse leader Jumblatt throws weight behind Hizbullah and Syria, APA reports quoting jpost.com website.

If Hizbullah dominates the next Lebanese government, Lebanon will â€œturn into Gaza,â€ Samir Geagea, leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces, warned at a press conference in Beirut on Saturday.

Geagea also warned that in such a scenario, Lebanonâ€™s economy would be devastated and freedoms would be repressed.
The Christian leader was referring to Hamasâ€™s takeover of Gaza in 2007 and the devastation of its economy that followed. Both Hamas and Hizbullah are funded by Iran.

â€Did any one wonder what will happen to the Lebanese pound if the other side assumes power in Lebanon?â€ Geagea asked.

On Friday, Druse leader Walid Jumblatt, a potential kingmaker in Lebanese politics threw his support on Friday behind Hizbullah, a major boost to the Shiâ€™ite terrorist group that brought down the countryâ€™s Westernbacked government last week.

Jumblatt refused to say exactly how many lawmakers are with him, but his support is key ahead of parliamentary talks on Monday to pick a new prime minister.

Geagea said during his press conference Saturday that Jumblatt would not support Hizbullah if â€œthe Democratic Gathering [Jumblattâ€™s party] had a choice.â€