Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri held on Wednesday a press conference from his residence in Jeddah in which he noted that Lebanon is currently facing a dangerous phase and an unprecedented terrorist attack that has taken Arsal and its residents hostage.
Hariri also stressed that Saudi King Abdullah had previously warned against the spread of terrorism and has called on the leaders and scholars to confront these threats "that have deformed the image of Islam."
He noted that eradicating terrorism must be the responsibility of the Lebanese state and its institutions that "have always offered sacrifices for the Lebanese people's sake."
Hariri noted that King Abdullah offered the Lebanese Armed Forces and security forces a USD1 billion grant to address terrorism, adding that the Saudi King tasked him to supervise how it will be distributed.
"I will launch contacts with security and political authorities to deal with the needs to fight terrorism," Hariri added.
Hariri also stressed the importance of the country's national unity "to protect Lebanon from attempts aiming at serving foreign projects and dragging Lebanon towards sedition."
"Negotiations are needed to save Arsal and to ensure the return of the soldiers held captive to their families," he added.
Hariri blamed the "criminal regime" of Syrian President Bachar al-Assad's for the latest security situation in Lebanon, adding that Hezbollah's military involvement in Syria has yielded negative consequences on Lebanon and the Syrian opposition.
"It is a crime that Hezbollah participate in the Syrian war...It is also a crime that terrorists come to Arsal and occupy it," he noted.
Hariri concluded by saying that Hezbollah is largely responsible for the latest developments taking place in Arsal, noting however that the armed group did not participate in the battles alongside the Lebanese army.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah stated that it did not interfere in any of the incidents taking place in Arsal between Lebanese Army troops and armed militants, pointing out that protecting citizens and confronting terrorism is the sole responsibility of the Lebanese Army.
Clashes erupted in Arsal on Saturday afternoon when Syrian gunmen deployed across the region after the Lebanese Armed Forces arrested Syrian national Imad Ahmad Jomaa at a checkpoint.
The army said 17 soldiers have been killed, with 22 others missing and 86 injured in the fighting.
Lebanese security officials say the fighters include members of al Qaeda's Syria branch, the Al-Nusra Front, and an al Qaeda splinter group, the Islamic State, which has seized swathes of land in Syria and Iraq.
While Lebanon has officially tried to distance itself from Syria's conflict, Hezbollah has openly sent fighters to aid President Bashar al-Assad, against rebels trying to topple him.
The rebels fighting to overthrow Assad are overwhelmingly Sunni and have received support from regional Sunni powers including Saudi Arabia.
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