Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt:
“The sole mission should be expressing solidarity and support with the Lebanese Army and security forces in the face of armed groups and Takfirism. There is no haven or escape for us. (Salvation comes from) support of the state, especially the Army. I wish you we could all stop the hollow political debate about the presidency which is taking place from time to time, so that we can get to the election of the president of the republic and install the foundations of the state and state obligations.”
Hezbollah MP Nawwaf Musawi:
“The aggression surprised all Lebanese today, in pictures that provoked them when they saw the assault on their national dignity, because they realized that the threat that was trivialized by some became imminent and would soon reach their own homes. Everyone in Lebanon now knows that had we not done what we did when we appointed ourselves to defend Lebanon and the resistance then our situation today would have been like Arsal. Security forces, governmental institutions and the Lebanese Army would have been subject to attacks everywhere. For this reason, we are proud to be pioneers in evaluating the size of the Takfiri threat.”
Tripoli MP Mohammad Qabbara:
“What is happening in the heroic Sunni Arsal is nothing but an episode in the Syrian-Iranian series of subjecting the Sunni people. We are warning of transforming the Army from a national institution whose duty is to protect all the Lebanese in to one resembling Al-Maliki’s Army. Had the Army deployed along the border sooner then the country would not have got to where it is today.”
Kataeb Party head Amine Gemayel:
“Without a doubt the Army will win as long as the people rally around them.”
Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil:
“What is happening in Arsal is an armed foreign terrorist force’s occupation of a Lebanese town.”