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Hizbullah-led Opposition Calls for New Mass Rally to Topple Saniora
 The Hizbullah-led opposition has vowed to step up its campaign, setting Sunday as a new ultimatum to bring down Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government through a mass street protest.The new zero hour set for 3 p.m. Sunday by the predominantly Shiite opposition came after the influential Maronite Church called for early presidential elections to help settle the serious crisis which is threatening to split Lebanon. The church, the biggest in Lebanon, also called on Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to convene the house to break the critical political deadlock. In an apparent response to the church's call, President Emile Lahoud Wednesday rejected early presidential elections, and reiterated that the formation of a national unity government was the only solution to the political crisis, according to a statement issued by his office. Lahoud has rejected repeated demands by Saniora and the parliamentary majority to step down. He has vowed to stay in office until his term expires in November next year. However, Christian opposition leader General Michel Aoun adopted the church statement. "I have no objections to holding early presidential elections," Aoun told As Safir in remarks published Thursday. But there was no comment from Berri on the church's statement, which avoided the term "national unity government," the opposition's primary demand, and proposed the formation of a "reconciliation government that ensures wide participation at the national level." The Organization of the Islamic Conference also urged Lebanese leaders to act with "the highest degree of self-restraint, wisdom and responsibility in order to save the country from slipping on the inevitable slope of confrontation". The opposition call also followed an appeal by Saniora to those who are trying to topple him through mass protests to stop "digging bunkers," return to the negotiating table, and help rebuild Lebanon. Meanwhile, thousands of protestors camped in a tent city outside the Grand Serail for a seventh straight day Thursday as the opposition asked the Lebanese people to prepare for other forms of peaceful protest to force the formation of a new unity government. Nasarallah had his hand-picked replacement cabinet all set to go, thinking that last week's rally was going to do the trick. When that event went bust, Hez installed a couple of searchlights to play on the gov't offices in the Grand Serail. Now it's time for another mass rally on Sunday, with Hez knowing that they're looking weaker and weaker as this spectacle unfolds. So, sooner or later, ... Posted by: mrp 2006-12-08 |
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