Aoun: What is happening in Gaza is a genocide, a crime against humanity

Source: Nowlebanon.com, 12-1-2009

Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun condemned the "Israeli" offensive on Gaza and slammed the United Nations for falling short in dealing with the political, military and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Aoun also said the Lebanese Army and the Resistance's arms were capable of fending off "Israel" from Lebanon.

"What is happening in Gaza is a genocide, a crime against humanity and a war crime, and the United Nations and its officials have fallen short in dealing with the situation there," Aoun told reporters at his resident in Rabiyeh at a press conference following a weekly meeting of his Change and Reform bloc.
Aoun, a retired general, called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to inform him of all actions taken within the UN when Ban arrived in Lebanon, which would help Lebanon tackle the ongoing use of internationally forbidden arms.

The MP also had words for public disagreements among Christian ranks. "The Christians are not divided but differ in opinion. But their retarded mentality prevents them from understanding true democracy and honest competition in the elections," he said.
Aoun said he had complete confidence in the Lebanese people's ability to dodge "political funding of electoral campaigns."

"This year certain parties paid the school fees of your children, but who paid for them last year and the year before? ... I ask the Lebanese people to deceive those who are deceiving them and practice their free right to elect their true representatives," he told reporters. "Do countries that pay to fund electoral campaigns in Lebanon believe in the free practice of religion and in democracy like we do?"

The MP rejected the formation of a neutral parliamentary bloc on allegations it would harm balance in the parliament. "Those introduced as centralists should not be granted 1% of ballots," he said, adding, "We are not the foes of President Michel Suleiman, who announced several times that he would be equidistant from all political parties."

And on the FPM and its major allies, primarily Hizbullah, Aoun said, "The [opposition] sit-in [downtown] was not a pleasure, and we reverted to violence only when they left us with no choice."
"It didn't last more than six or seven hours," he said in reference to the May 7 events in Beirut.