Former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel, father of Pierre, called for calm Tuesday night, saying, "I have one wish, that tonight be a night of prayer to contemplate the meaning of this martyrdom and how to protect this country." He spoke to reporters outside the hospital where his son's body was taken. The father of the slain minister told supporters not to reciprocate with attacks against Muslims. "We don’t want reactions and revenge," he said.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said Tuesday evening that he is now more determined than ever to create an international court in which to put the suspected killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on trial, according to the Reuters news service. The assassination of Gemayel, he explained, "makes us more determined to set up the international court, the tribunal that would stop the criminals and that is the means to protect all Lebanese."
Minister Gemayel, a member of the Christian Phalange party, was a strong critic of the Islamist Hizbullah and of the Syrian influence in Lebanon. In the past, Phalangist leaders have called for the expulsion of Palestinian Liberation Organization supporters and have intimated support for peaceful relations with Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni reacted to the assassination of Minister Gemayel by noting the regional implications of the murder. Livni said the assassination was a byproduct of the war between extremists and moderates in the Middle East. She was in London for talks with her British counterpart, Margaret Beckett, when the news broke. For her part, UK Foreign Secretary Beckett condemned the murder of Gemayel, saying it "went against the interests of every single person" in the region.
The son of the late Rafik Hariri, Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Sa'ad Hariri, accused Syria of being connected to the assassination of Industry Minister Gemayel. "Syria’s hands are all over this," he said.
Pierre Gemayel's well-known uncle, the Lebanese President-elect Bashir Gemayel, was assassinated in a 1982 bombing by a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. 25 other people also lost their lives in that attack.
However, an anonymous Syrian official quoted by that country's state news agency, SANA, condemned the assassination of Pierre Gemayel. The official called the murder a "despicable crime" and said its goal was to "destroy stability and peace in Lebanon."
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called on the Lebanese people to put aside their differences to keep the peace after the assassination. Mubarak was attending a conference in Libya when the news about the death of Pierre Gemayel was released. He urged Lebanese citizens to seek dialogue "in order not to lose Lebanon."
French President Jacques Chirac added his voice to the chorus of condemnations of the assassination in Beirut. Chirac said he hoped the perpetrators of the "shocking attack" would be caught and brought to justice.
US President George Bush said the killing of Gemayel showed "the vicious face of those who oppose freedom." US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told reporters Tuesday afternoon that his government was "shocked" by the assassination, as well. Burns said the US interpreted the Gemayel murder as an act of terrorism intended to intimidate the current Lebanese ruling coalition and he called on the international community to support the Siniora government.
The murder of Maronite Christian leader Gemayel follows the resignation of six Hizbullah-affiliated Shi'a cabinet ministers in a dispute over who will control the Lebanese government. The Hizbullah terror organization has threatened to create mass demonstrations in the streets if it is not given more of a role in government affairs. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora fears demonstrators will turn violent as they flood the streets of the country. "This is a real concern," he told reporters after his speech at a meeting of the diplomatic corps Tuesday afternoon. Siniora attempted to stave off an attempt to bring down his government by calling for dialogue with his political opponents in an address broadcast live on national television.
At the same time, a new Gallup poll released this week showed that 64 percent of all Lebanese adults think that Hizbullah's political position within Lebanon is stronger than it was before its war with Israel this past summer. The results were consistent across three ethnic groups: Shi'a Muslims, Sunni Miuslims and Christians. Pollsters interviewed 1,000 Lebanese adults in face to face interviews in the period from September 18th to October 12th.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said Tuesday evening that he is now more determined than ever to create an international court in which to put the suspected killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on trial, according to the Reuters news service. The assassination of Gemayel, he explained, "makes us more determined to set up the international court, the tribunal that would stop the criminals and that is the means to protect all Lebanese."
Minister Gemayel, a member of the Christian Phalange party, was a strong critic of the Islamist Hizbullah and of the Syrian influence in Lebanon. In the past, Phalangist leaders have called for the expulsion of Palestinian Liberation Organization supporters and have intimated support for peaceful relations with Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni reacted to the assassination of Minister Gemayel by noting the regional implications of the murder. Livni said the assassination was a byproduct of the war between extremists and moderates in the Middle East. She was in London for talks with her British counterpart, Margaret Beckett, when the news broke. For her part, UK Foreign Secretary Beckett condemned the murder of Gemayel, saying it "went against the interests of every single person" in the region.
The son of the late Rafik Hariri, Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Sa'ad Hariri, accused Syria of being connected to the assassination of Industry Minister Gemayel. "Syria’s hands are all over this," he said.
Pierre Gemayel's well-known uncle, the Lebanese President-elect Bashir Gemayel, was assassinated in a 1982 bombing by a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. 25 other people also lost their lives in that attack.
However, an anonymous Syrian official quoted by that country's state news agency, SANA, condemned the assassination of Pierre Gemayel. The official called the murder a "despicable crime" and said its goal was to "destroy stability and peace in Lebanon."
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called on the Lebanese people to put aside their differences to keep the peace after the assassination. Mubarak was attending a conference in Libya when the news about the death of Pierre Gemayel was released. He urged Lebanese citizens to seek dialogue "in order not to lose Lebanon."
French President Jacques Chirac added his voice to the chorus of condemnations of the assassination in Beirut. Chirac said he hoped the perpetrators of the "shocking attack" would be caught and brought to justice.
US President George Bush said the killing of Gemayel showed "the vicious face of those who oppose freedom." US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told reporters Tuesday afternoon that his government was "shocked" by the assassination, as well. Burns said the US interpreted the Gemayel murder as an act of terrorism intended to intimidate the current Lebanese ruling coalition and he called on the international community to support the Siniora government.
The murder of Maronite Christian leader Gemayel follows the resignation of six Hizbullah-affiliated Shi'a cabinet ministers in a dispute over who will control the Lebanese government. The Hizbullah terror organization has threatened to create mass demonstrations in the streets if it is not given more of a role in government affairs. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora fears demonstrators will turn violent as they flood the streets of the country. "This is a real concern," he told reporters after his speech at a meeting of the diplomatic corps Tuesday afternoon. Siniora attempted to stave off an attempt to bring down his government by calling for dialogue with his political opponents in an address broadcast live on national television.
At the same time, a new Gallup poll released this week showed that 64 percent of all Lebanese adults think that Hizbullah's political position within Lebanon is stronger than it was before its war with Israel this past summer. The results were consistent across three ethnic groups: Shi'a Muslims, Sunni Miuslims and Christians. Pollsters interviewed 1,000 Lebanese adults in face to face interviews in the period from September 18th to October 12th.