For Hezbollah, the May legislative elections are 'a political July war'

BEIRUT — Chairman of Hezbollah’s political council Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed said Tuesday that his party considers the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for May 15 “a political July war,” in reference to the 2006 war against Israel, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Here's what we know:

    • “The upcoming parliamentary elections are like a political July war, because they want our weapons, our resistance and our society, so that the voice in our country tilts towards Israel and America,” the NNA reported Hezbollah’s political council head as saying during a rally in northern Bekaa.

    • “Americans, Israelis and Europeans want [our] arms, resistance and society, in order to have a Parliament that can elect a president who will form a government that will act as they want,” he said, according to the NNA. The NNA also cited Sayyed as claiming that parties are offering voters in the parliamentary elections bribes ranging from “$50 to $100.”

   • Last Wednesday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah announced that his party’s slogan for the upcoming polls is “We remain to protect and build.” During a speech, Nasrallah assured that Hezbollah is opposed to any postponement or cancellation of the May vote. “We are preparing seriously, actively and responsibly for this election, as we have in the past … All elections are crucial in Lebanon, we are clearly heading towards fateful elections,” Nasrallah added.