Anti-Syrian Christian political leader shot dead in Lebanon
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 21, 2006 18:08
Prominent anti-Syrian Christian politician Pierre Gemayel was assassinated in a suburb of Beirut on Tuesday, increasing tensions in Lebanon amid a showdown between opponents and allies of Damascus that threatens to topple the U.S.-backed government. Gemayel, the industry minister, was the fifth anti-Syrian figure to be killed in the past two years and the first member of the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to be slain.
The assassination, in an afternoon shooting in Gemayels mainly Christian constituency of Jdeideh, threatens further instability in Lebanon at a time when Hezbollah and other parties allied with Syria are planning a massing wave of street protests unless Saniora reforms his government to give them more power.
In Washington, the U.S. State Department denounced the assassination as terrorism and an attempt to intimidate Sanioras government. The United States has accused Syria and Iran of plotting to overthrow the government, which is dominated by anti-Syrian politicians.
"We are shocked by this assassination," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told reporters. He said it is very important that those who would use violence to divide Lebanon not be allowed to succeed. "We will give full support to the Saniora government in the days and weeks ahead," Burns said.
Syria also condemned the assassination. "This despicable crime aims to destroy stability and peace in Lebanon," the state news agency said, affirming Syrias keenness on Lebanons stability, security and unity.
Damascus opponents in Lebanon have accused Syria of being behind previous assassinations, particularly that of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a massive explosion in downtown Beirut in February 2005. Syria has denied any role.
Gemayel, 34, was driving in his car in Jdeideh when another vehicle rammed him from behind, then a gunmen stepped out of the vehicle and shot him at point-blank range. Footage from the scene showed Gemayels car, the drivers-side window dotted by nearly a dozen bulletholes, and the second car behind it with a crumpled hood.
Gemayel was rushed to a nearby hospital seriously wounded, the Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. and Voice of Lebanon, the radio station run by his Phalange Party, reported.The party radio later said he was dead, as did the National News Agency.
Saad Hariri, leader of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, broke off a televised news conference after hearing that Gemayel had been shot. In an interview with CNN later, Hariri hailed Gemayel as "a friend, a brother to all of us" and appeared to break down after saying: "we will bring justice to all those who killed him."
Hariri implicitly blamed Syria for the assassination, saying, "We believe the hand of Syria is all over the place."
Gemayel was the scion of one of Lebanons most prominent political families and had been expected to carry it into the next generation. His father, current Phalange leader Amin Gemayel, served as Lebanons president between 1982 and 1988 and his grandfather, the late Pierre Gemayel, led the right-wing Christian Phalanage Party that fielded the largest Christian militia and was allied with Israel during the 1975-90 civil war between Christians and Muslims.
Amin Gemayels brother, Bashir, was elected president in 1982 but was assassinated days before he was to take office in an explosion.
The slain Pierre Gemayel was a prominent figure in Lebanons anti-Syrian bloc, which dominates Sanioras Cabinet and the parliament - and which is now locked in a power struggle with the Muslim Shiite Hezbollah and its allies.
On Sunday, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah threatened a wave of street protests aimed at bringing down the govenrment if it ignores the groups demand to form a national unity Cabinet, in which Hezbollah and its allies would have considerable influence and would be able to block major decisions.
Nasrallah accused Sanioras government of falling under the influence of the President Bushs administration and called it "illegitimate" and "unconstitutional."
Gemayels assassination was the first since Gibran Tueni, prominent anti-Syrian newspaper editor and lawmaker, was killed in a car bomb in December. In June 2005, the journalist and activist Samir Kassir and former Communist Party leader George Hawi were killed in separate car bombings in June last year.
In Washington, the U.S. State Department denounced the assassination as terrorism and an attempt to intimidate Sanioras government. The United States has accused Syria and Iran of plotting to overthrow the government, which is dominated by anti-Syrian politicians.
"We are shocked by this assassination," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told reporters. He said it is very important that those who would use violence to divide Lebanon not be allowed to succeed. "We will give full support to the Saniora government in the days and weeks ahead," Burns said.
Syria also condemned the assassination. "This despicable crime aims to destroy stability and peace in Lebanon," the state news agency said, affirming Syrias keenness on Lebanons stability, security and unity.
Damascus opponents in Lebanon have accused Syria of being behind previous assassinations, particularly that of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a massive explosion in downtown Beirut in February 2005. Syria has denied any role.
Gemayel, 34, was driving in his car in Jdeideh when another vehicle rammed him from behind, then a gunmen stepped out of the vehicle and shot him at point-blank range. Footage from the scene showed Gemayels car, the drivers-side window dotted by nearly a dozen bulletholes, and the second car behind it with a crumpled hood.
Gemayel was rushed to a nearby hospital seriously wounded, the Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. and Voice of Lebanon, the radio station run by his Phalange Party, reported.The party radio later said he was dead, as did the National News Agency.
Saad Hariri, leader of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, broke off a televised news conference after hearing that Gemayel had been shot. In an interview with CNN later, Hariri hailed Gemayel as "a friend, a brother to all of us" and appeared to break down after saying: "we will bring justice to all those who killed him."
Hariri implicitly blamed Syria for the assassination, saying, "We believe the hand of Syria is all over the place."
Gemayel was the scion of one of Lebanons most prominent political families and had been expected to carry it into the next generation. His father, current Phalange leader Amin Gemayel, served as Lebanons president between 1982 and 1988 and his grandfather, the late Pierre Gemayel, led the right-wing Christian Phalanage Party that fielded the largest Christian militia and was allied with Israel during the 1975-90 civil war between Christians and Muslims.
Amin Gemayels brother, Bashir, was elected president in 1982 but was assassinated days before he was to take office in an explosion.
The slain Pierre Gemayel was a prominent figure in Lebanons anti-Syrian bloc, which dominates Sanioras Cabinet and the parliament - and which is now locked in a power struggle with the Muslim Shiite Hezbollah and its allies.
On Sunday, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah threatened a wave of street protests aimed at bringing down the govenrment if it ignores the groups demand to form a national unity Cabinet, in which Hezbollah and its allies would have considerable influence and would be able to block major decisions.
Nasrallah accused Sanioras government of falling under the influence of the President Bushs administration and called it "illegitimate" and "unconstitutional."
Gemayels assassination was the first since Gibran Tueni, prominent anti-Syrian newspaper editor and lawmaker, was killed in a car bomb in December. In June 2005, the journalist and activist Samir Kassir and former Communist Party leader George Hawi were killed in separate car bombings in June last year.