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Hezbollah Widens Anti-Government Campaign
Lebanese flash the symbol of Hezbollah's Christian allies during a protest against tax increases and other policies outside a Finance Ministry office.
(By Sergey Ponomarev -- Associated Press)
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He carried a Lebanese flag and a sign that read: "Real reform." He promised to keep taking part in the protests, including another scheduled for Wednesday, but reflecting the mood there, he suggested nothing dramatic was ahead.
"Anything more than this, and it would be a civil war," he said. "We don't want that."
The relatively small size of the protest gave rise to speculation among foes and supporters of Hezbollah over its intentions. Some government allies said the numbers revealed divisions between Hezbollah and its partners, particularly Michel Aoun, a populist Christian politician who has forcefully called for an escalation in the protests. Others said it suggested the opposition's campaign was flagging after two mass demonstrations and the vigil that has lasted more than five weeks.
"This is a sign that if they -- the opposition and especially Hezbollah -- don't bring people from their houses, no one will come," said Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Fatfat, who is loyal to the government coalition. "It is also a sign that people are losing patience and that they are starting to question what's the worth of all this."
Officials of Hezbollah, perhaps the most effective group in the Middle East in mobilizing its constituency, were dismissive of suggestions that the numbers Tuesday revealed weakness. They have said the next stage will play out gradually, with protests smaller but more numerous than the more dramatic shows of force in downtown Beirut.
"Why would we bring a million people to participate in a demonstration like that?" said Sherri, the Hezbollah lawmaker. "Numbers are not important. We've proved we have the numbers, and now a few thousand people will be just as efficient in sending the message."
Special correspondent Alia Ibrahim contributed to this report.
