Once
again, the Lebanese people face an
episode of national mourning and a
deluge of hollow condemnations from
all sides, even from the primary
suspects of the recent carnage.
While the assassination of General
Hajj is clearly another volley in
the war of terror that is underway
against the Lebanese people, some of
the Lebanese politicians who are
denouncing this barbaric act should
know that they are the first to
blame for causing the state
paralysis that allowed the
perpetrators to accomplish this and
previous similar heinous acts. The
fragility of the situation in
Lebanon is further aggravated by
their continuing obstruction of the
constitutional process for electing
a president. Those leaders of the
Lebanese opposition who were quick
to blame the lack of security for
allegedly providing the murderers of
General Hajj with conditions that
allowed them to commit the latest
act of terror should know that the
Lebanese people consider them
accomplices to this crime.
Although speculations on the
motives abound, it is clear that the
main objective of the assassination
of General Hajj and his companion is
to destroy Lebanese national unity
and to hinder Lebanon’s recovery.
The undermining of Lebanon’s
constitutional institutions by the
so-called opposition allowed
dangerous elements loyal to Syria
and to Iran to remain active within
Lebanon’s security and intelligence
apparatuses. Coupled with islands of
lawlessness that remain outside
Lebanese sovereignty, their
destabilizing role has granted the
enemies of Lebanon the logistics and
the capabilities to conduct
terrorist operations even in the
middle of supposedly secure zones,
such as Baabda.
As long as the free and democratic
Government of Lebanon does not fully
control the totality of the Lebanese
territory and is not able to monitor
its borders with Syria, and until
all militias, Lebanese and
non-Lebanese, are disarmed, we will
continue to witness terrorist acts
targeting innocent civilians, brave
patriots and courageous figures,
like General Francois Hajj.
The Lebanese Information Center
offers its deep regrets to the
families of General Hajj and his
companion. We remain confident
that, although the cost keeps
getting painfully higher, Lebanon
shall be, once again, a land of
peace and freedom.
