BEIRUT: The following are excerpts taken from speeches given by MPs during the vote of confidence at Thursday’s parliamentary session.
“The prime minister and his members welcome constructive criticism,” Prime Minister Najib Mikati said, rejecting claims that his government was responsible for all the problems facing Lebanon. “I would like to remind that power has been in the hands of the new opposition for years.”
“This doesn’t mean that I will abandon my responsibilities.”
“Our Cabinet will not disregard the deep division in the country but it affirmed that it would work to lessen it until it eliminates it completely.”
“Our government will not neglect the issue of the possession of arms and will not disregard the threat it carries within civilian areas … this issue of disarming the cities is this Cabinet’s first priority after it receives the vote of confidence.”
Fouad Siniora (Future Movement)
“The problem is not in the transfer of power,” Sidon MP Fouad Siniora said.
“What happened was not a democratic transfer of power … it was not based on the people’s will. It was a coup carried out by weapons.”
“We are for the transfer of power on the condition that this transfer reflects the will of the people rather than the will of the arms and those who are armed,” the Sidon lawmaker said.
“Some say that we will never know the whereabouts of those indicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri … ridiculing the authority of the government. This is as a result of the hegemony of weapons.”
“Is asking for justice a crime? Did we cross the line by demanding the right to know who killed our brothers?”
“We find ourselves today accused because we are looking for the truth behind the assassination of Hariri ... We refuse to be placed in a position where we have to choose between justice and stability. And as you know, this is an unethical thing [to do].”
“The Special Tribunal for Lebanon aims to discover the truth behind the assassinations … everyone recognizes that the heart of the political problem since the death of [former Prime Minister] Rafik Hariri … has been over this particular issue.”
“Our aim was never revenge or to take advantage of the death of Hariri … but we were looking for ways to safeguard Lebanon.”
“We defended the possession of arms … but they have used it in manipulative ways, violating the sanctity of Lebanon’s sovereignty and dignity.”
“Lebanese revolted and sacrificed lives to hold on to their right of freedom …revolted against the Israeli occupation and revolted against all kinds of tutelages over the country ... They want a country that protects them within a national consensus because then all Israeli threats and difficulties could be repelled.”
“The language of threats does not serve those who adopt it and reflects negatively on Lebanon and Lebanese,” Siniora said.
“Instead of [the policy statement] committing to [United Nations Security Council] Resolution 1757, it merely respects it and there is a great different between to commit and to respect.”
“You [Prime Minister Najib Mikati] have ventured in many ways, including staying silent when one armed party took over the government.”
“No one can defeat us if we preserve our national unity.”
Nawaf Mousawi (Hezbollah)
“The memory of some has failed them, particularly when they have a selective memory. They choose what to hear and what to see … Some forget that Hezbollah cooperated with the international investigation committee and the international tribunal. The committee also visited our office … and the investigation committee has an office located in Beirut’s southern suburbs,” Hezbollah MP Nawaf Mousawi said.
“The tribunal now needs to be prosecuted. It did not prosecute those who nurtured those false witnesses,” said Mousawi.
The Hezbollah lawmakers also slammed the leaks of the names of the accused before state prosecutor Saeed Mirza had received the sealed indictment from the tribunal delegation. He also held a security personnel member the responsibility of the leaks.
“This security personnel who distributed the pictures and the CVs of those who were indicted is known and I say that the one who delivered this information to a media outlet was Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan,” Mousawi said.
“The accused are being targeted as part of Israeli plan to get back at the resistance.”
He also praised the agreement which was reached between former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, saying: “It was the most trusted of agreements.”
Bahia Hariri (Future Movement)
“This Cabinet intends courageously to drag Lebanon into what is happening in the region. This week is the week of division and a lack of confidence,” Sidon MP Bahia Hariri said.
"Weapons have become permitted in the streets."
“We are here to confirm that we are committed to national participation, the Taif Accord, constitutional principles, and to respect everyone’s political opinions … this stems from our belief in Lebanon as a sovereign, independent, free [nation],” Hariri said.
“Beirut deserved two more additional ministers from its districts … eliminating Beirut from the political map is a threat to the political center and a return to division.”
“There are people in this Parliament with more wealth than the [absent] man and more connections than him. We welcome their use of these resources in the interest of the country,” Hariri said, referring to her assassinated brother, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The Sidon lawmaker also said that the March 14 coalition had sacrificed a lot for the sake of stability and civil peace in the country.
“The premiership is owned by the Lebanese but not a family, at least we [March 14] have conducted seven ministerial consultations, formed five governments and four prime ministers.”
“The premiership is owned by the Lebanese, not a family. At least we [March 14] have conducted seven ministerial consultations, formed five governments and four prime ministers,” Hariri said.
She also praised the Syrian-Saudi agreement which attempted to reconcile the issue of the tribunal before the collapse of the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, saying: “We wanted to reconcile so that we could achieve the truth in a bid to protect civil peace … but there are some people who support you [Mikati] that only understood superficial bits of the agreement taken from the media.”
Mohammad Raad (Hezbollah)
“Both the government and the opposition are responsible for Lebanon’s stability,” Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad said.
“Just as religion provides a rich source, rage is a continuous threat,” Raad said.
“This is possibly the first government without external meddling.”
Raad, addressing Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said: “We are proud that you facilitated in the birth of the government.”
The Hezbollah lawmaker \called on the government of Prime Minister Najb Mikati to “work as a team to achieve its goals.”
“This government adheres to the formula of the ‘army, people, resistance’ and this is the appropriate formula for safeguarding Lebanon,” Raad said.
“Unfortunately the International Tribunal has become one of the strategies against the resistance and the danger lies in the collusion of some in this plot,” he said.
“This tribunal threatens stability of Lebanon.”
“The international tribunal is fake and was only established to cover up Israel’s involvement in the crime,” The Hezbollah politician said, adding: “For these reasons we reject the tribunal and all decisions coming from it.”
Sami Gemayel (Kataeb Party)
“This is not a session for a vote of confidence for Parliament, but a session to discuss confidence among Lebanese,” Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel said.
“If we can’t form a majority Cabinet since it would be a blow to one sect and we cannot form a national unity Cabinet since it would be a blow to separating constitutional powers … then we are confronting a problems within the political system itself.” Gemayel said.
“Where is the issue of false witnesses in the policy statement? It was [over that issue] that the previous government collapsed. Therefore, because this issue is not mentioned, we will abstain from granting the vote of confidence. This was merely an excuse for you [March 8] to bring down the government,” Gemayel said.
Gemayel quoted of Winston Churchil’s famous phrases: “You have two choices: humiliation or war. You have chosen humiliation but you will face war regardless.”
“What we are choosing today is not between justice and civil peace, but we are facing two choices: justice and civil surrender.” Gemayel added.
He also said that the March 8 alliance attempted to politicize the Special Tribunal for Lebanon when Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah presented footage of Israeli maneuvers that dated back to 1997.
He also accused Nasrallah of using misleading quotes out of a speech given by Special Tribunal for Lebanon president Antonio Cassese, saying: “They are trying to harm the image of the tribunal.”
“This tribunal will be broadcast globally, there will be 7 billion people watching. There will be many human rights activists and researchers … This is of great concern for intellectuals. You will be able to discover where this tribunal has been politicized.”
“There is a party in Lebanon that is granted rights others do not have … they enjoy certain [self-granted] privileges,” Gemayel said, referring to Hezbollah’s “dominant” position in the country.
“A Hezbollah member can kill an army officer and spend nine months in prison, while someone else who committed the same crime would spend his life in prison … Hezbollah has the right to wage war … Hezbollah has the right to have a private telecoms network,” Gemayel said.
“There is discrimination between Lebanese. While some do as they please, the others cannot," he added.
“What is asked today from a Hezbollah-dominant Cabinet is that it handover Hezbollah members to a tribunal disavowed by Hezbollah,” Gemayel said.
“Be sure that we will not participate in forgery or indicting innocent people … this is not what we are looking for. We want to indict those who carried out the assassinations,” Gemayel said, adding that the international tribunal was the only alternative to discover the truth.
"Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel] Aoun himself claimed that the Lebanese judiciary is incapable," Gemayel added.
“You should cooperate with us to reveal the killers … help us,” Gemayel said, addressing Hezbollah.
Akram Shehayeb (National Struggle Front)
“Has the international community ever protected the Palestinians? … Has it ever supported the military institution in Lebanon? Or supported building a state in Lebanon?” National Struggle Front MP Akram Shehayeb asked.
“We have confirmed that justice is coupled with stability … We have also affirmed that the division between March 8 and March 14 would threaten civil peace. That is why we practiced centrism.”
“We expect a lot from this government and you have a chance to work. Let us let the state institutions work … I grant the vote of confidence to this Cabinet.”
Butros Harb (Independent)
“I welcome the return of principles and the rotation of power … I welcome this new government that represents the majority and I welcome the opposition that will be on the lookout,” MP Butros Harb said, adding that national unity Cabinets had repeatedly proven they were failures.
“When a majority controls a minority, the country’s national unity is threatened,” Harb said, adding that the rotation of power was part of a healthy democracy.
“This new majority, which we have experienced as a minority, is controlling, greedy and nothing satisfies it. And it does not accept anything that opposes its views,” Harb said.
“You [Mikati] will suffer and regret that you have accepted to turn into a hostage for this new majority,” Harb said.
“All we asked of you was to announce that the Cabinet is committed to cooperate with the tribunal but you refused … We asked you to end the chaotic possession of weapons and you refused … We asked you to grant us one third of [veto power] just like you did when you were a minority in our previous government,” Harb said, “and you refused.”
Harb criticized the policy statement of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s Cabinet for not including the term “respect for Lebanon’s independence,” adding that the new majority was not concerned with such independence.
“I was surprised when you took out two words in your policy statement that was mentioned in the previous one [regarding the Syrian-Lebanese relationship] … the first is the respect of Lebanon’s independence,” Harb said.
“You also did not mention anything about drawing and controlling the Lebanon-Syria borders.”
“The clause related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will paralyze the relationship between Lebanon and the international community,” Harb said.
“You have betrayed the responsibility that was placed upon us to achieve justice [regarding the assassinations],” Harb added.
“Lebanon cannot survive with the existence of a vertical collision among its parties, religions and sects … Lebanon’s survival requires great wisdom,” Harb said.
“All I get out of this policy statement is that you [Mikati] don’t want the tribunal,” Harb said, adding that the dispute over the tribunal threatens civil peace in the country.
He also criticized Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for agreeing to have two Shiite ministers in the new Cabinet, saying: “Today this might be a custom, tomorrow it might be at the expense of another party, threatening Lebanon’s coexistence.”
George Adwan (Lebanese Forces)
“There will be no reconciliation without honest discussing of issues … Hezbollah lawmakers need to hear the way I see things as it represents half of the Lebanese,” said Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan.
“No one envies you [Prime Minister Najib] Mikati … no one wants to be in your shoes and there is no logical person that can fathom what this government is facing domestically,” he said.
“If the national dialogue committee continued, we would not be in this situation right now and the country would not be in this situation because …we would have agreed on the most disputed of issues such as establishing the court [Special Tribunal for Lebanon] and determining our relationship with Syria and drawing the border with it.”
The LF politician also said that since 2005, the power of weapons remained dominant over the power of legitimacy in the government.
“We [the March 14 coalition] do not have any choice. On one hand, we are facing the policy statement and a dominance of power on the other,” he said, adding that the existence of a party greater than a state is paralyzing the country.
“We are concerned for Lebanon, civil peace, its pluralistic society, the point of view of the other, constitutional institutions … if Lebanon collapses, it is the responsibility of both parties,” he said.
“Many might have certain goals to achieve from the tribunal, but we have our own goals,” he said, adding that the March 14 objectives were to achieve justice and reveal the identity of the assassins of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
He also said that there were two main principles when dealing “with our Arab brethren.”
“First is the principle of the right of people to freedom and their right to choose their leaders. The second principle should prevent us from provoking people against their governments.”
“We differ over where the power of Lebanon comes from. Its power lies in its people, coexistence … not the dominance of one party over the other through weapons," he said, adding that “the power of Lebanon stems from our unity.”
“The only principle that we should abide by is that any arms outside of the authority of the state be surrendered to the state … otherwise we will remain in this situation,” he said.
“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world, gain the premiership, only to lose your soul?” Adwan asked Mikati.
Parliament is to conclude its discussions Thursday on the government’s policy statement and the Cabinet will face a vote of confidence at midday amid controversy over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Speaker Nabih Berri opened the session at 10.36 a.m.
Sources in the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance told The Daily Star the government is expected to receive 69 votes out of 128, a narrow margin of victory.
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s government won Parliament's vote of confidence with a majority of 122 votes.
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