We Will Run For Elections With Future Lists of Candidates From All Confessions and Refuse any Alliance With Hezbollah

HARIRI ON FEBRUARY 14: "I want to reassure you, Lebanon is still in the safety zone because the spirit of Rafic Hariri is still with us"

14 Feb 2018

Lebanon - In his delivered speech at the 13th commemoration of Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri's assassination held by the Future Movement at "BIEL" this afternoon, Prime Minister Saad Hariri said:

"Thirteen years, and you have been with me, for better and for worse. The companion of the difficult days, and they were many on us, on the country and the region.

Thirteen years, and every time I need you, you tell me: Continue Saad, our cause is greater than words. And nothing on earth must let you retreat. We devoted ourselves to serving our country. This our destiny. The stability of Lebanon and its safety are the most important assets in our lives.

Thirteen years, and the region is boiling. Revolutions, wars, discords and displacement. Syria was crushed by battles, and has become a test field for armies and militias of all nationalities. Iraq is still a prisoner of conflicts, and the destruction of Mosul has become equal to the destruction of Basra. The Happy Yemen has become the saddest country in the world. Libya was struck by the curse of terrorism, and the curse is moving from one country to the other.

Despite everything, I want to reassure you, Lebanon is still in the safety zone because the spirit of Rafic Hariri is still with us, and because the young man, who was jeopardizing his life to obtain a ceasefire in Beirut, would never accept to hand Beirut over to civil war again. And because he who worked for the Taef Agreement, could never accept to break coexistence, and he who helped 40,000 students graduate, would never accept to train armed militias.

We worked upon your legacy, we chose to walk in your footsteps, so the state, institutions and legitimacy in Lebanon would remain, and so all people would know that we do not accept that the sacrifices of the martyrs be lost in the collapse of the country. Those who say otherwise are waging false wars. We pushed the Syrian fire away from our country, despite the presence of more than one and a half million Syrian refugees. We expelled Daesh, and terrorism could not find a favorable environment in our country. We now have a strong army and security forces that we are proud of ... And the Information branch that was established by your beloved Wissam stands on the lookout, with all the security services, in the face of Mossad and terrorism.

We have economic and social problems...true. We have political differences...true. But we have a country, a state, institutions, legitimacy, a government, an opposition, freedom and press...at a time when countries, institutions, legalities, freedoms, armies and oppositions are collapsing.

Thirteen years, and we are still insisting on justice. We will not despair, we will not forget and we will not compromise. Some are seeing that heavenly justice is being achieved somewhere. But the justice of the International Tribunal is on the way...because it is the key to truth, and the key is the trust of the March 14 Martyrs, for all of us, especially the Future Movement.

Thirteen years, and I still dream every day of the day when I will see your dream, the dream of Rafic Hariri, become reality in all of Lebanon.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Representative of His Excellency the President, Representative of the Speaker of the Parliament, Colleagues and Friends, My beloved comrades in the Future Movement, may peace and mercy be upon you,

The first words were with Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and his fellow martyrs. We gather today to remain faithful to their struggle in the face of the worst periods of guardianship in the history of Lebanon.

I am honored to announce the commemoration of 14 February this year, as an occasion to salute Al-Quds Al-Sharif...a salute to Jerusalem from the soul of the martyr prime minister, a salute to Jerusalem from the Future Movement, and all those who gather to honor the martyrs of freedom and independence, March 14 martyrs. For the sake of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Palestine, I call on all of you to observe a minute of solidarity for Jerusalem and the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.

Dear brothers and sisters,

We thank God Almighty,

That the loyal supporters of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri still meet in Beirut, from all regions, to confirm that the Movement is in the first lines to protect Lebanon. Your steadfastness, your moderation, your Arabism, your patience, your rejection of discord, and your belief in coexistence were and still are the best weapon to face challenges.

History will write that you are the army of moderation that protected Lebanon from falling into the quagmire of discord and extremism, and that protecting your country is nobler than any participation in the wars of others.

This is our approach, this is our decision.

However, there are those who play daily the tune of outbidding on the Future Movement. Therefore, let everyone know that I, Saad Rafic Hariri, refuse to lead these noble loyal people to the abyss or any civil conflict. Let everyone also know that I will not sell my Arab brothers fake Lebanese political goods and stances for consumption in the media and sectarian markets. We are not merchants of positions and slogans, we are honest about our role towards our people and our brothers. I will defy with you all challenges, and will not accept that Lebanon leaves its Arab environment, nor enter the Holocaust of Arab wars.

The decision to disassociate Lebanon is an essential basis of the challenge, and the stabilization of Lebanon in its natural position, a state that maintains the best relations with the Arab states and rejects any offense against them. The decision was not taken to remain mere words on paper; whoever signs a decision taken by the state must respect this decision.

Dear friends, brothers and sisters, the intellectual creativity of some outbidders has reached a point where they called for the handover of the country to Hezbollah, to hold it responsible for the repercussions that will ensue. Then they promoted the idea that the elections will lead to a parliament that will legalize Hezbollah's weapons. This is an example of opinions by people who were friends, but they lost the path of friendship, in search for roles in the country and abroad, and writing stances and reports against Saad Hariri and the Future Movement.

Those know very well that the real political and electoral confrontation is between the Future Movement and Hezbollah, and they also know that everything they are doing will not be able to get a tiny percentage of Hezbollah's capital in the elections. But they are betting that they will hunt the crumbs of the tables of the Future Movement, to turn these crumbs into an electoral meal that benefits the candidates of Hezbollah and its allies. I mean that the people who are outbidding on us and betting on the feeling of anger, know that the maximum they can do is to divide us and weaken our vote, in the interest of one party only: the interest of Hezbollah. Those are the ones who are actually working for Hezbollah. They denote sound phenomena that will lead to nowhere.

We are certain that the Future Movement, together with the supporters of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, are unbreakable. The Future Movement is unbreakable! It is an essential pillar of the Lebanese formula and the national balance, and it is impossible for it to form a bridge over which illusions of overthrowing the formula, the Taif Accord and the Arabism of Lebanon can pass. The Taif Agreement is a red line. It is not subject to modification, alteration and interpretation. It is not a framework for any agreements between two, three or four groups...

We, in the Future Movement, will not cover any policy working to violate the national accord document and renew civil conflict in Lebanon. We have been, and will remain, the protectors of the Republic and its democratic system, the guardians of coexistence and the Arab identity of Lebanon and the unsurmountable barrier to any external guardianship. The era of guardianships has ended, and March 14, 2005 is a milestone that will not be erased from the history of this country.

Brothers and sisters, young men and women of the Future Movement, we are a few weeks away from the parliamentary elections, which we expect to be a turning point in our parliamentary life, whether at the level of testing the new law or renewing parliament. The Future Movement is preparing to run the election in all of Lebanon. We will announce the names of candidates within days and will enter the elections under the umbrella of Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.

The electoral program of the Future Movement is to restore the prestige of the Rafic Hariri era, free from the pressures of tutelage and from those who climb on the shoulders of the state and the law.

On the national and political level, there are constants without which the country cannot be stable or achieve progress, and which we cannot abandon under any circumstances:

1- The Taef agreement and the requirements of national accord are red lines

2- The commitment to dialogue in approaching political disputes

3- The protection of Lebanon from the repercussions of the wars in the region

4- The refusal of interventions in the affairs of the Arab countries

5- Consider the sentences that will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon binding to the Lebanese authorities to prosecute and arrest the accused

6- The emphasis on the monopoly of weapons by the state and its legitimate institutions

7- The activation of the capacities of the army and the security forces to enable them to spread their power, defend the sovereignty and fight terrorism

8- Commit to the UN resolutions about Lebanon, particularly UNSCR 1701, and emphasize the national solidarity requirements to confront the Israeli greed in our national water

9- End the dossier of the return of Syrian refugees to their country and refuse all forms of settlement in Lebanon

10- Protect the Islamic society from the infiltration of the terrorist organizations and work to issue a general amnesty that includes the Islamic detainees who have no blood on their hands

11- Expand the participation of young men and women in the political life.

First we are determined to continue fighting corruption and committed to improve transparency in all state actions. But we do not and will not accept the daily and systematic corruption accusations, lacking transparency, with regards to any constructive or productive step we try to take. We are working for the country and its future and all our work is concentrated on young men and women who are the future of the country. The country was disabled as a result of three years of presidential vacuum. The first thing we did was to end this vacuum and the second step was to tackle the problems that accumulated as a result of said vacuum.

In less than a year, we completed a new electoral law after years of stagnation. We approved the salaries scale that was frozen for years. We made appointments in the security, judicial and diplomatic corps that were vacant for years and years. We completed the socio-economic council for the first time since its formation in the Taef Accord. We approved the first state budget in 12 years and endorsed tens of laws that were in the drawers of Parliament for years and years, most importantly the partnership between the public and private sectors, and the oil and gas contracts that were signed two days ago, and we joined the international transparency agreement. We also prepared a complete plan for electricity and waste problems, and exerted great efforts that will give results soon in the most important sector for the future, telecommunications and internet.

We prepared the first complete plan in six years to cope with the Syrian displacement and we will present it in the Brussels conference in two months.

In a month's time, we will go to Rome to mobilize the international support for the Lebanese army and security forces, and in a month and a half we will head to Paris to secure financing for 250 projects valued at $16 billion over ten years. These projects include roads, transportation, sewage, waste, electricity schools, hospitals, and communications. This will lead to the revival of the infrastructure and the economy.

In fact all this work is for the young men and women in Lebanon. The job opportunities created by these projects are for them, in Lebanon. By strengthening the army and the security forces, we will be guaranteeing security and safety for the young men and women in Lebanon. When we develop the telecommunication sector and the internet becomes cheaper and faster, we will be opening the new economy, the economy of knowledge for them. By solving the problems of electricity and waste and improving the level of the infrastructure and the essential services, we will be preparing the ground for the country that should be worthy of all the young men and women in Lebanon.

The real question to all the Lebanese in these elections is: Do you want this program to continue? Or do you want it to stop? If you want it to continue, you should go and vote. You should know that those who will not vote, will actually be voting. The non-participation in the election is in itself a vote, not necessarily for a specific list or candidate, but in fact voting to stop this project, the project of advancing the country, the economy and the citizen. We are candidates for work and achievement. We were the cornerstone in the project of reconstructing the country in the nineties and we are still the cornerstone to launch the biggest investment plan that covers all Lebanon. We are going to the elections with the spirit of Rafic Hariri. We want the country to be once again a work site and our parliamentary team is responsible for achieving this program.

When the government was formed, I promised the Lebanese a new electoral law and free elections. The new law was achieved and the elections will take place on time. These elections are an opportunity to all of us to listen to the Lebanese and to talk to them directly, frankly and transparently in order to face together all the challenges with hope and determination. No progress and advancement in the country can be achieved without your support, opinion and ideas. It is necessary to hear your voice in any step we take.

Some people do not want the elections, but they will be disappointed. Others want to kidnap your voice through outbidding and the empty slogans to present it as a gift to the project that is the opposite of yours, the opposite of democracy, freedom, moderation and hope. But these will also be disappointed.

We have been hearing theories in the country for the last few months. Some say that the Future Movement is heading to a new 5-party alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party, Amal and Hezbollah. Others say that the Future Movement will ally with the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb, the National Liberal Party and the independent candidates. Some say that the Future Movement will be the biggest and maybe the only looser in the elections. When you ask them why? They say because the Future Movement is bankrupt...does not have money. This is the biggest insult to you, to the supporters of Rafic Hariri. It is a rude expression of an idea that says that those who vote for the Future Movement and Rafic Hariri can be bought. They don't vote according to their convictions, or by their free democratic will, or because they adhere to the project of Lebanon's hope, dignity, sovereignty, freedom and Arabism. They just vote for the money. Okay, if this is the challenge, we accept it. I and all the young men and women accept this challenge. Yes, we don't have money for the elections, and we refuse any alliance with Hezbollah. We are a movement that refuses to be put in a sectarian box. We are a movement that includes all confessions and regions because we are the movement of moderation and hope for all Lebanese and their ability to work, exert effort and be patient and creative for the sake of Lebanon.

We will go to elections with Future lists that gather candidates from all confessions. The supporters of the Future Movement and Rafic Hariri all over Lebanon will prove that nobody can buy or sell their votes. All Lebanese will show you who are the honest people, the patriots committed to Lebanon's stability and always ready to protect Lebanon. They will continue today, tomorrow and every day in order to achieve the project of Rafic Hariri, the project of hope, advancement and stability for Lebanon.

We will meet on May 6th for the elections, and we will meet again on May 7th with all the Lebanese and with Martyr Premier Rafic Hariri."

(End of Speech)

Before the commemoration ceremony, Hariri visited the grave of his father Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in Beirut's Central District, where he prayed for his soul and the souls of his martyr companions, in the presence of the Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Imad Othman, Mr Adnan Fakhani and dignitaries.

Earlier, Hariri planted seedlings of roses named after Martyr Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in the main courtyard of the entrance of the Grand Serail, in the presence of the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Fouad Fleifel.