DUBAI: Bahaa Hariri, billionaire businessman and eldest son of slain Lebanese statesman Rafik Hariri, said on Saturday that Hezbollah should have no role in Lebanon’s future and that he would “absolutely not” support his younger brother, a minister, if he became part of a Hezbollah-influenced government, during a televised interview on Frankly Speaking.
Hariri, who blames Iran-backed Hezbollah for the explosion that killed his father, discussed ways forward for Lebanon in a wide-ranging interview, and said he had “stark political differences” with his brother.
Hariri instead called for a broad alliance — a “super majority” — to coalesce around a plan to agree on the way forward for Lebanon.
Such an alliance is needed to implement the unfinished business of the Taif Agreement, the peace deal brokered by Saudi Arabia 30 years ago, Hariri said.
“We have to make sure that across the sectarian divide, the forces of moderation go hand in hand to put (together) a complete comprehensive plan — whether it’s an economic plan, a COVID-19 plan, a constitutional plan, a judiciary plan, or a security plan,” he said, and added that Lebanon was “at the precipice.”
“We seek the full support of Saudi Arabia to make sure of the full implementation of the Taif Accord. It is key for us that Saudi Arabia helps us out and supports us in this. That's the key,” he said.
The Taif Agreement, signed in 1989 under Saudi auspices at the end of a bitter civil war, had never been fully implemented, Bahaa said, but remained as a blueprint to achieve progress in the country.
“If we are going to come to the Arab world and the international community, they’ll tell us you have an accord, but three-quarters of it hasn’t been executed,” he said.
“If we want a new accord, it may take us another 10 years and maybe half a million dead.”
“We need to make sure that this accord is executed to the letter: The separation of religion from the executive and the legislative branch; the establishment of a senate that protects minorities; the establishment of an independent judiciary; and an electoral law that meets the aspirations of all Lebanese. And that we have a new election,” he said.
Bahaa also clarified he had no plans to put himself forward as a possible leader of Lebanon as it continued months-long attempts to form a new administration.
“Today, we don't have a civil war - we have complete mismanagement of a configuration that is in complete divorce. That configuration, of course, is Hezbollah, and the warlords and whoever supported them.
“The situation is only getting worse and that's why we believe that the economic plan and the entire plan that we're putting together has to be around a non-sectarian government, a technocratic government that takes the agenda moving forward.”
By the same token, Bahaa said there should be no role for Iran-backed Hezbollah in the new agenda, and castigated Iran for its destructive interference in Lebanon’s affairs.
He contrasted the part Iran has played with the role played by Saudi Arabia, which he said had been a “true friend” of Lebanon. “Saudi Arabia has done a lot for Lebanon. It has helped us with the Taif Accord, and on political stability. It has helped us in putting billions of dollar deposits after Taif to stabilize the currency,” he said.
“It was always in the lead in encouraging other GCC nations in pouring foreign direct investment in the Central Bank to stabilize Lebanon, and encourage foreign direct investments from the Arab world to invest in Lebanon.”
