Lebanese PM Saniora defiant amid protests

   

Protesters set up tents in the Martyrs' Square near the government headquarters in central Beirut Dec. 2, 2006. Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition camped out in central Beirut on Saturday on the second day of protests to demand the resignation of the U.S.-backed government. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

 BEIRUT, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese newspapers carried varied opinions on Saturday over a mass street demonstration by pro-Syrian protestors on Friday which was followed by an open-ended sit-in to call for a national unity government.

    Hundreds of thousands of pro-Syrian protestors, waving Lebanese national flags, gathered in downtown Beirut Friday afternoon to attend the Hezbollah-led rally calling for resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Fouad Seniora.

    The Lebanese opposition Thursday called on the public to take to the streets for a mass demonstration to demand a new national unity government.

    Hezbollah and pro-Syrian allies have mobilized for mass street protests to topple incumbent government since the cabinet on Nov.13 approved a UN draft document for the creation of an international tribunal on former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing.

    The pro-Syrian Al-Akhbar paper said the protest was held because the government was isolating some political groups, and a large number of crowds participating in the protest proved that there were many Lebanese who felt tense.

    Meanwhile, the leftist As Safir newspaper said that it was unreasonable that Seniora describes the protestors as outlaws. It continued that the opposition's protest was "civilized" and that the government was the one responsible for Lebanon's current crisis.

    However, anti-Syrian Al-Mustaqbal daily accused pro-Syrian Hezbollah of using the demonstration as part of "a plot for a coup" to topple the current government.

    "The Syrian-Iranian camp, led by Hezbollah, has begun to implement a plot for a coup" in Lebanon with the demonstration and attempts to besiege the Seniora cabinet, it said.

    The daily is owned by the family of Rafik Hariri whose 2005murder, blamed on Syrian officials and their Lebanese allies, led to massive street protests that forced Damascus to end its military presence in Lebanon.

    Hundreds of protestors, who spent the night in white tents setup in Riyadh Al-Solh and Martyrs squares in Beirut, are still in the streets, saying their demonstration will continue until their goals are achieved.

    As for the future of the political crisis in the country, different papers held contradicting viewpoints.

    Al-Liwaa paper expected that understanding will be reached in the next few hours, while Al-Sharq newspaper, on the contrary, predicted that no solution will be reached soon.

    Al-Anwar paper said that national division will not lead to a unity government and protests do not build nations nor nourish the economy.

    It would be impossible for Prime Minister Fouad Seniora's government to resign, if no agreement was made on the future government, Al-Anwar added.

    The Beirut's biggest An Nahar daily called on relevant parties to return to dialogue with "open hearts and pure intention" to reach solutions compatible with the Taif agreement which ended Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.