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After Attack, Lebanese Opposition Calls for New Government After Attack, Lebanese Opposition Calls for New Government
(about 2 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s main opposition group called on Saturday for the Hezbollah-led government to resign in the wake of a powerful bomb attack for which it blamed Syria, intensifying fears that Syria’s civil war is spilling over into this country and inflaming sectarian tensions. BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s main anti-Syrian opposition group called on Saturday for the Hezbollah-led government to resign in the wake of a powerful bomb attack for which it blamed Syria, intensifying fears that Syria’s civil war could lead to a political crisis in Lebanon.
The call came as unrest was already rippling across Lebanon after the Friday attack, which killed Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hassan, a top Lebanese intelligence official who was allied with the anti-Syria opposition and seen as a supporter of the rebels fighting to oust the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad. The call came as unrest was already rippling across Lebanon after the Friday attack, which killed Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hassan, a top Lebanese intelligence official who was allied with the anti-Syria opposition. General Hassan was seen as a supporter of the mainly Sunni rebels fighting to oust the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The opposition also called for demonstrations on Sunday to mourn the general, but the protests could also be used to pressure the government, which the opposition says is too close to Syria. The main opposition group, the March 14 bloc, also called for demonstrations on Sunday to mourn the general, but the protests could also be used to pressure the government, which the opposition says is too close to Syria.
On Saturday, Sunnis angered by the death of the Sunni general staged protests, burning tires, blocking roads and firing weapons into the air in Beirut and other cities as they called on the government to resign. Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he offered to step down, but he said President Michel Suleiman asked him “to stay for a while longer as he discusses the situation.” On Saturday, Sunnis angered by the death of General Hassan, a Sunni, burned tires, blocked roads and fired weapons into the air in Beirut and other cities. In an upper-class Sunni neighborhood in Beirut, the smell of burned rubber still hung in the air Saturday evening.
The offer to step down and the demonstrations were partly a reflection of Lebanon’s combustible sectarian tensions. “They’ve been burning tires since the morning,” said a hairdresser who declined to give his name. “Who is going to stop them? Nobody will stop them.”
Mr. Mikati is a Sunni, but many fellow Sunnis see him as unwilling to stand up to Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group that leads the government and supports Mr. Assad’s brutal fight against a mainly Sunni uprising. The deaths of thousands of Syrian Sunnis have increasingly enraged Sunnis in Lebanon and compromised Mr. Mikati’s standing. Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he had offered to step down, but that President Michel Suleiman asked him “to stay for a while longer as he discusses the situation.”
“He is struggling to maintain legitimacy in his own community,” Paul Salem, an analyst at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, said on Friday. The signs of instability were partly rooted in Lebanon’s combustible sectarian tensions.
The country’s sectarian divides are further complicated by geopolitical tugs of war. While the main Lebanese opposition has long been aligned with Washington and Saudi Arabia, the governing coalition is backed by Iran and Syria. That means that Hezbollah — and by extension Mr. Assad — had to approve Mr. Mikati’s ascension. It is unclear what would happen if Mr. Mikati stepped down, as some in the opposition demand; the position is supposed to be filled by a Sunni under a power-sharing agreement, but it would be difficult for the government to find a prominent Sunni acceptable to both Hezbollah and Sunni leaders. Mr. Mikati is a Sunni, but many fellow Sunnis see him as unwilling to stand up to Hezbollah, the militant Shiite movement that dominates the government and supports Mr. Assad’s brutal fight against a 19-month effort to oust him. The deaths of thousands of Sunnis in that crackdown have increasingly enraged Sunnis in Lebanon.
The protests Sunday called by the March 14 opposition group are set to coincide with the burial of General Hassan, who had been under threat ever since he pushed for the August arrest of a pro-Syrian Lebanese politician who was accused of plotting to stage bombings against Mr. Assad’s opponents in Lebanon. The country’s politics are further complicated by geopolitical wrangling. While the main Lebanese opposition has long been aligned with Washington and Saudi Arabia, the governing coalition is backed by Iran and Syria.
In a move that could further incite animosity, Saad al-Hariri, a March 14 leader and a former prime minister, has asked that General Hassan be buried next to the downtown Beirut tomb of his father, Rafik Hariri, a former prime minister. The elder Mr. Hariri, an adversary of Mr. Assad’s, was assassinated in 2005 in what many here believe was a Syrian plot with Hezbollah. Friday’s attack, coming as it did against another foe of Mr. Assad and in a similar manner, recalled for many Lebanese the killing of Mr. Hariri, whose death set off widespread unrest and ultimately led to Syria’s withdrawing its troops from Lebanon. The Syrian government issued a statement Friday condemning the bombing, which was powerful enough to shear off the fronts of apartment buildings and killed seven people besides the general. “We want this government to resign since it’s representing the Syrian regime and protecting the Iranian policy in Lebanon,” Nohad al-Mashnouq, a leading member of the March 14 movement, said on Saturday. “It’s very obvious that the Sunnis are targeted in Lebanon. We haven’t had any Shiites condemning Wissam’s assassination; they just condemned the explosion.”
On Saturday, opposition members had already begun a sit-in in Beirut to demand the resignation of the prime minister. They chanted anti-Hezbollah slogans. The protests Sunday are set to coincide with the burial of General Hassan, who had been under threat since he pushed for the arrest in August of a pro-Syrian Lebanese politician who was accused of plotting to bomb Mr. Assad’s opponents in Lebanon.
In an upper-class Sunni neighborhood in Beirut on Saturday evening, roads were blocked and the air smelled of burned tires. “They’ve been burning tires since the morning,” said a hairdresser whose salon was still open and who declined to give his name. “Who is going to stop them? Nobody will stop them.” In a move that could further incite animosity, Saad al-Hariri, a March 14 leader and a former prime minister, has asked that General Hassan be buried next to the downtown Beirut tomb of his father, Rafik Hariri, also a former prime minister. The elder Mr. Hariri, an adversary of Mr. Assad’s, was assassinated in 2005 in what many here believe was a Syrian plot with Hezbollah.
On Saturday in Syria, warplanes struck Maarat al-Noaman in Idlib Province, destroying five homes, according to the Local Coordination Committees, an anti-government activist group. Activists reported that dozens of shells had landed in a Damascus suburb. In honor of General Hassan, representatives of the Free Syrian Army — under whose banner myriad units fight against the Syrian government — said they had renamed a brigade in Damascus in his name. Friday’s attack, coming as it did against another foe of Mr. Assad and in a similar manner, recalled for many Lebanese the killing of Mr. Hariri, whose death set off widespread unrest and ultimately led to Syria’s withdrawing its troops from Lebanon. The Syrian government issued a statement on Friday condemning the bombing, which was powerful enough to shear off the fronts of apartment buildings and killed seven people besides the general.

Hwaida Saad reported from Beirut, and Tim Arango from Istanbul. Hania Mourtada, Josh Wood and Anne Barnard contributed reporting from Beirut.

On Saturday, opposition members had already begun a sit-in in Beirut, setting up tents and chanting anti-Hezbollah slogans.
In Syria on Saturday, warplanes struck Maarat al-Noaman in Idlib Province, destroying five homes, according to the Local Coordination Committees, an anti-government activist group. Activists reported that dozens of shells had landed in a Damascus suburb. In Damascus, Lakhdar Brahimi, the envoy representing the United Nations and the Arab League, met on Saturday with Syria’s foreign minister, Walid Muallem, in an attempt to secure a cease-fire for an upcoming three-day Muslim holiday.
In honor of General Hassan, representatives of the Free Syrian Army — the main rebel fighting force — said they had renamed a brigade in Damascus after him.

Hwaida Saad reported from Beirut, and Tim Arango from Istanbul. Reporting was contributed by Hania Mourtada, Hala Droubi, Josh Wood and Anne Barnard from Beirut.