In a special session, the Syrian parliament discussed U.N. Chief Investigator Detlev Mehlis's report on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri. The session was aired by Syrian TV on October 31, 2005. The following are excerpts. TO VIEW THIS CLIP, VISIT: http://memritv.org/clip/en/910.htm.
Syrian MP: "You should look for the murderers of Al-Hariri in Tel Aviv and Washington. You should look for the perpetrators of this crime and for those who stood to gain from it.
"The Syrians will never forgive those who have made it their business to harm Syria."
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Khalil Musa: "This report is political and politicized, and is far from being reasonable or just. The Mehlis report should have cleared Syria, if it had been professional and objective.
"It is invalid for the following reasons: First, it lacks even a modicum of justice and reason. Second, it contains grave professional errors, as my colleagues, who are also lawyers, have mentioned. Third, it is based on witnesses known for their lack of credibility, and for their hostility towards Syria. Fourth, there is no evidence in support of this report. Fifth, the report refrains from accusing, or even mentioning, Israel, although it is the only one to benefit from Al-Hariri's murder."
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Huneim Namar: "The greatest thing that the Americans and Israelis achieved from this Mehlis report is to divert attention away from any possible role played by the Israeli Mossad, the American CIA, or any other party who may have been responsible for this crime, as well as to direct the spotlight exclusively on Syria."
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Hassan Taleb: "The Syrian masses stress their loyalty to the homeland, and to the leader, Bashar Al-Assad. They say, and I say on their behalf: My soul I will sacrifice for you, Syria, and I will give everything for you. I have planted my heart and all I have in its soil. May Allah protect Assad, you are my sword. You are the mighty leader. You are my eyes. They chanted your name, Bashar, and I say: I will sacrifice my eyes for you. "
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Anwar 'Ubeid: "What is happening today is an indication that America and Bush are coveting this nation's resources. Syria is the only thorn to remain in the eye of Zionism and its collaborators. Hence, the Mehlis report is a clear attempt to pressure and harm Syria, the Syrian people, and their leaders.
"We are all familiar with Lebanon and with the intrigues of its leaders. Collaboration flows in their veins, and treachery thrives in their midst. Today they repay Syria's loyalty to them with treachery. They repay the attempts to help them with an effort to destroy Syria, and to put pressure on us."
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Syrian MP: "Syria in its entirety went [to battle] when some people wanted to attack it – the entire Syrian people, the young and the old, said: 'We will dig their graves with our bare hands.'
"Today, too, we say: With our hands, with our fingernails, with our children and our elderly, with our women and with our youth, we will dig their graves, if they think of attacking the capital of the Umayyad. Thank you."
