July 23, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Saadeh: War will flare up if STL indicts Hezbollah

Minister of State Youssef Saadeh told LBCI television on Thursday that if the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) accuses Hezbollah of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, then a war will flare up.

This comes after Hezbollah General Secretary Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said during a press conference on Thursday that Prime Minister Saad Hariri told him in May the tribunal would indict Hezbollah members.

Saadeh added that Israel Defense Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi’s July warnings should not be downplayed, “since he specified the time the STL indictment will be issued.”

The IDF official said that he expected tension to rise on Israel’s northern border in September, which is when he said the STL’s indictment will be issued.

Saadeh also said that dialogue between Hezbollah and the Future bloc should continue in order to avoid any internal conflicts.

Rhetoric used recently must be attuned, he said, adding that some parties have not changed their positions toward Syria as they claim.

This comes in reference to Kataeb bloc MP Nadim Gemayel’s Thursday statement that accused Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun of being Syria’s informer.