Hariri: Arsal must support Lebanese army

Former Lebanon Prime Minister Saad Hariri has called on the residents of border town Arsal to cooperate with the Lebanese army to prosecute those involved in an armed attack that left two soldiers dead. In a statement, Hariri said that Lebanon had witnessed the killing of two Lebanese soldiers affiliated to the national military institution that the "Lebanese people need to support." He warned of the potential threat from the Syrian regime inciting the people of Arsal to turn on their own army and other Lebanese institutions, amid the suspicious failure of the Lebanese government to deal with the problems. He also criticised the Lebanese government for not issuing orders to confront the Syrian regime, adding that the government has not provided the army with the required political cover to defend Arsal. He said that the current divide between the Lebanese people and their army is worrying. In the statement he made four key points. Firstly, that Ersal is a Lebanese town under the responsibility of the Lebanese state and its judicial institutions. There must be no confrontation in the town, or against the army. Secondly, the killing of soldiers is painful for the people of Lebanon and especially for the residents of Arsal, as they always work to defend the nation against criminals. Thirdly, the Lebanese army refuses discrimination among the Lebanese people, and the residents of Arsal must cooperate with the Lebanese army to achieve justice. Fourthly, it is important for Lebanon’s President to achieve justice by carrying out the necessary mechanisms to protect the dignity of the military institution.