Image: Kataeb.org (source article)
Sheikh al-Aql: the state and the judiciary cannot be halted ‘to please anyone’
Sami Abi al-Mona warned that letting the explosives case bring down the government would be dangerous and urged all sides to rally behind the army.
The spiritual leader of Lebanon's Druze community, Sheikh al-Aql Sami Abi al-Mona, said the work of the state and the courts cannot be suspended "to please this person or that" in the case of the Hezbollah explosives seized at Dahr al-Baidar, according to an interview with Radio Orient reported by the Kataeb party website.
Asked about objections to the justice ministry's handling of the file, he said those who object may voice their opinion, but the authority of the state remains and security is the responsibility of the army and the security forces. "Lebanon cannot be left as an open arena," he said.
Abi al-Mona warned that it would be "a serious matter" if the explosives case blew up the government, calling for cabinet solidarity, no threats of resignation or withdrawal, and wisdom in handling the dispute. Lebanese Forces ministers are boycotting cabinet sessions until the case is referred to the Judicial Council.
He reaffirmed support for the state's monopoly on arms, which he called a necessary decision, while urging that it be applied through dialogue rather than internal confrontation. Lebanon's strength, he said, lies in diplomatic, political and cultural resistance and in national unity, and the future lies with the state, with the army and the judiciary as the sole points of reference.
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