BEIRUT: Lebanon’s fate in the face of terrorism relies on the ability of the Lebanese to unite and rally behind the Army, Prime Minister Tammam Salam said Saturday.
“Our fate hinges on our unity,” Salam warned, after holding talks with Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the government's response to the ongoing hostage crisis. “We are in need of cooperation with each other and to be a single unified front and never give terrorists the chance to divide us.”
The prime minister called on the Lebanese to rally behind the government’s decision in supporting the Lebanese Army and the various security agencies in their battle against terrorism “in Arsal, outside of Arsal and on the border.”
“We sought to negotiate to secure the safety of our sons, but our numerous attempts to reach positive results had no effect and you saw what they did last night,” Salam told reporters, referring to the execution of soldier Mohammad Hammieh at the hands of Nusra Front. “If we were to negotiate and pave the way for these efforts, we cannot reactivate that while killing continues.”
“So long as the situation remains as such, our options are clear and it is to confront [terrorism] by uniting behind the Lebanese Army, its leaders and state institutions,” he said, in a veiled warning to both Nusra Front and ISIS who are holding at least 21 soldiers and policemen captured during last month’s battle with the Army.
Asked about the ongoing negotiations via the Qatari mediator, Salam said all options were on the table but the government “refuses to negotiate at the expense of the country’s dignity.”
The radical groups are demanding the release of Islamist detainees held in Roumieh Prison since 2007 without trial. While the government has rejected a swap deal, judicial authorities have vowed to speed up the trials and finalize the cases of some 92 detainees.
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