While the time has come to close the file of the accusation cast by Lebanese and regional sides against Syria of standing behind the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, the only one who was capable of closing the file, and even qualified to do so, was the “blood heir” Saad Hariri. This is exactly what the Lebanese Prime Minister did in his last paper interview. Hariri made statements, after which all the accusations are null, whether made by sides in the Future Movement or the March 14 team, or made by the judicial sides represented by the prosecution of the international tribunal for Lebanon. Indeed, after Hariri Jr. said that Syria's accusation was a “political accusation”, how can any accusation of the sort be made again, even if by the judiciary? Hariri's statements not only turned the page of the accusations made against Syria, but also marked an important turn against the bases on which the action of the March 14 team proceeded throughout the last five years. True, these bases featured demands to regain sovereignty and national independence, but it was clear which side was referred to in the talk about the hijacking of this sovereignty and independence. Also in that sense, Hariri's recognition of Damascus' accusation as being a mistake included another recognition which is equally important and is related to the insistence of the Syrian neighbor on the Lebanese's independence and sovereignty, thus eliminating a major part of the March 14 arguments and the credibility of its political rhetoric at this level. However, much as the turning of the page of the “political accusation” against Syria constitutes a condition which seemed to be required to consecrate the current relations between President Bashar Assad and Prime Minister Saad Hariri on more solid bases, the turning of this page did not close the door before the other ongoing accusation being widely circulated on the media level, i.e. the accusation affecting Hezbollah and against the backdrop of which the party mobilized all its political and media capabilities to undermine the credibility of the international tribunal and eradicate the awaited indictment before it saw the light. In regard to this point in particular, Hariri believes that “the tribunal's course has nothing to do with rash political accusations… The tribunal only looks at the evidence and there are known legal measures to be adopted by the prosecution and the defense among others.” As it is clear through this talk, the position of the Prime Minister vis-à-vis the work of the tribunal and the legal character of the decisions it will issue is completely different from that of Hezbollah. Indeed, as much as the party and its Lebanese allies are reassured by Hariri's “review” of the accusation that was made against Syria, they are bound to have reservations over his positive perception of the international tribunal, which he believes “only looks at the evidence,” thus revealing his prior recognition of the accusation it will make and the sentences it will issue. What increases these reservations is the fact that Hariri's talk converges with the statement issued a few days ago by International Tribunal Prosecutor Judge Daniel Bellemare, who said to a media outlet affiliated with the prime minister in response to Hezbollah's accusation of the tribunal of being politicized: “The decision we will issue will not be a political decision.” Consequently, as much as Al-Hariri's “review” of his previous accusations opened a new door for strong relations with Damascus, it is maintaining caution at the level of the relations between the different sides on the domestic arena against the backdrop of the divisions that carry a sectarian character. This is especially true since the governmental responses to the accusations made in regard to Al-Hariri's assassination and are currently being circulated, are limited to their transfer to the international tribunal, i.e. the side which the accused consider to be “an Israeli project” and the neutrality and credibility of which they are questioning.
