NNA - Marking the twentieth commemoration of his father's martyrdom, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said: "Today, after twenty years, we have returned to this square to say to Rafik Hariri - we have missed you!"
He considered that Rafik Hariri and his supporters are still present in Beirut's Martyrs' Square and all arenas, and belong not only to the Future Movement but to all of Lebanon, asserting that the movement remains one of moderation, reconstruction, liberties, and building of the state and its institutions, and the movement of Arabism, modernity, openness, and coexistence among all the Lebanese.
Addressing the gathering of supporters who came to pay tribute to the memory of the late Prime Minister, Hariri said: "Twenty years ago in this square, you expelled Bashar al-Assad from Lebanon, and after twenty years of sectarian rule, arrests, and brutality, the heroic Syrian people rose and expelled the criminal from Syria. This may be the beginning and end of justice, and in both cases, if the justice of the earth does not do us justice, no one can escape the justice of the Lord Almighty...."
He added, "This is an occasion to announce our support for the stability of Syria and the best equal relations from one country to another, as announced by the new Syrian leadership. In these 20 years, our country has gone through many crises, and we have never denied that part of the responsibility lies with us. I submitted my resignation and made way for three years or more. We are responsible for ourselves before the people and before the Lord Almighty."
Hariri continued to pay respect to all the fallen martyrs in all regions, hailing the solidarity demonstrated among the Lebanese in supporting each other in the hard times, and stressing that solving the economic crisis is everyone's responsibility. "Today there is a golden opportunity, we have a new president and a new government," he underlined.
Addressing the people of the South, the Bekaa and Beirut's suburbs, he said: “You are partners in this opportunity, and without you, it cannot be achieved. But you must break any previous impression that you are a force of obstruction and weapons...You are partners in opening bridges of relations with our Arab brothers and partners in reconstruction, and most importantly: you are strong partners in restoring the state's reputation, which alone, with its army, security forces, and institutions, protects the Lebanese, all the Lebanese.”
Hariri recalled Martyr Rafik Hariri's project based on the Taif Constitution, building the state, developing its institutions, and preserving its sovereignty. "We support the mandate, the government, and every effort to build a normal state to restore Lebanon's role in the world. We are with the army and the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation from all the villages in which it is present," he underlined.
Hariri considered that the problem with the Israeli enemy's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "escaping responsibility, escaping from peace to war, a problem of occupation, killing, and displacement of a people," adding that this "cannot be solved at the expense of Egypt, Jordan or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."
"We will remain with you in all national milestones, and everything will be good in its own time," Hariri asserted.
==========R.Sh.
