Geagea: in accord with Hariri on elections law

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Monday that he and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri were in agreement on an elections law based on 50 electoral districts as part of a full strategy for the 2013 polls. During a news conference at his residence of Maarab, the LF leader also slammed Hezbollah over its recent operation using a drone to penetrate Israeli airspace. “I agreed with Hariri during my Jeddah visit on a complete vision regarding the coming elections, on the basis of the 50-district electoral law,” said Geagea in a news conference held at his Maarab residence. The LF leader also stressed the need for the parliamentary elections on time. He called for the endorsing a new electoral law that is in line with the Taif Accord and ensures proper representation. “The parliament should endorse a new electoral law by the end of the year, and we will not accept postponing the elections under any circumstances,” said Geagea. The March 14 coalition has put forward an elections law that divides country into 50 districts that is based on a winner-takes-all system. Turning to his rivals in the March 8 coalition, Geagea held Hezbollah responsible for any possible repercussions caused by the group’s recent “Ayoub” drone operation into Israel. “The country still hasn’t survived the wounds of the 2006 July war, and Hezbollah will be blamed for any losses the country might suffer due to sending the drone over Israel,” Geagea said. Last week, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah confirmed that his group managed to breach Israeli airspace using an Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that was later shot down by the Jewish state. Geagea said the drone operation, codenamed “Ayoub,” represented direct Iranian message to Israel and the West. “Taking such dangerous decisions should be the responsibility of the state, not the responsibility of any party,” said Geagea. The LF, a member of the Lebanese opposition, opposes Hezbollah holding onto its arms, arguing that the state alone should have the decision for war and peace. Hezbollah insists its arms are to defend Lebanon from Israeli aggression. The Daily Star