Aridi hails the
struggle of southerners against "Israel"
Mohammed Zaatari - May 23, 2011
Caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi
Aridi hailed over the weekend the struggle of
southerners to fight Israel during a tour in south
Lebanon to inspect plans of development projects.
Aridi added that the delay in the formation of a
government was weighing heavily on all vital
sectors.
Speaking before Hezbollah officials at the Mleeta
tourist complex, which showcases the resistance’s
military operations against Israeli forces prior to
the liberation of May 2000, Aridi said that the
failure to form a Cabinet was obstructing
development projects.
“The Works Ministry cannot fix a hole on the road
because it lacks political decision making power, as
well as financing. We are all concerned with the
prompt formation of a government to serve the
interests of all Lebanese and confront foreign
threats, particularly by Israel,” Aridi said
Saturday.
“We need to form a Cabinet as soon as possible …
every day that we delay reflects negatively on all
Lebanese, particularly the political parties that
agreed to nominate Najib Mikati as prime minister,”
he added.
Aridi also praised those behind the construction of
the Mleeta complex, hailing it as a way to
commemorate the achievements of the resistance.
Before his tour at Mleeta complex, Aridi, in the
company of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance
parliamentary bloc leader Mohammad Raad, inspected
plans to expand a bridge connecting Nabatieh to
Iqlim al-Kharoub.
On his arrival to Raad’s village of Jbaa, Aridi met
with local municipal officials and vowed that the
ministry would kick off construction on a road
linking the suburbs of Sidon to the village of
Haboush in the Nabatieh region.
According to local officials, the road is necessary
to promote tourism and investment in the area.
Raad, who offered Aridi an honorary shield, hailed
the minister’s visit to the Mleeta, which he said
“witnessed the defeat of the Israeli enemy.”
“The tour [of the complex] marks the historic path
of men who dug into these mountains with
determination stronger than the enemy’s weapons and
its terrorism,” Aridi told reporters.
After his tour, Aridi attended a lunch banquet in
the village of Alwazir, attended by several Amal
Movement lawmakers as well as south Lebanon military
and security officials.
Speaking at the banquet, Raad said that Hezbollah’s
efforts to build a strong state to serve the
Lebanese people would not divert the resistance’s
attention away from strategic issues.
Raad added that obstacles reportedly hindering the
government formation process were not acceptable at
a time when Israel and the U.S. sought to undermine
resistance movements in Lebanon, Syria and
Palestine.
Raad also cited previous governments’ failure to
establish development projects in south Lebanon to
provide job opportunities to residents.
Source:
www.dailystar.com.lb
