August 4, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Jumblatt from Damascus: STL should not be politicized

Following his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Wednesday, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt told the press that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) – probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri – should not be politicized.

Western states want the tribunal to be used for purposes other than uncovering the truth behind Hariri’s murder, Jumblatt said.

“The West will likely use Lebanon and Iraq to weaken Arab retaliation represented by Syria,” Jumblatt said.

He also said that Israeli assaults against the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on the border on Tuesday reflect Israeli aggression.

“Israeli attacks prove the need for the LAF and the Resistance as a guarantee for Lebanon,” Jumblatt said. Meanwhile, the Syrian president said that the Resistance is the guarantee for Lebanon’s safety against the Israeli aggressions.

The LAF and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) exchanged fire at the border village of Aadaiseh on Tuesday, with each side accusing the other of having started the fighting.

Two Lebanese soldiers, a journalist and a senior Israeli officer were killed in the clashes, according to sources from both sides.

The Syrian National News Agency (SANA) quoted on Wednesday Jumblatt and Assad as saying that Israel will not succeed in hindering the Arab League’s efforts to defuse tension in Lebanon.

They also called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility and stop Israel’s aggression in the region.