BEIRUT: Two opposing rallies took place in front of the Russian Embassy in Beirut Sunday, with one group of people decrying Moscow’s veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Syria for its lethal crackdown on protesters and another group chanting support for President Bashar Assad.

Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya organized a sit-in in front of the embassy in Corniche al-Mazraa protesting Russia’s veto, while tens of Syrian expatriates gathered to voice support for both Moscow and Assad.

Internal Security Forces arrived at the scene and positioned themselves between the two groups of protesters so as to prevent possible clashes.

Both Russia and China Saturday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution prepared by European and Arab nations that backs an Arab League plan designed to end the crisis in Syria, while 13 countries in the 15-member council voted for it.

The votes were harshly criticized by many of the other Security Council members, including the U.S., France and the United Kingdom.

Even as Assad grows increasingly isolated, both regionally and internationally, he retains the support of some of his traditional allies. Russia had warned that it would veto any resolution seeking to punish Syria.

Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir Sunday also organized a protest in Masnaa, at the Lebanon-Syrian border.

Dozens of people demonstrated about 250 meters away from the general security post at the border crossing in the Bekaa Valley. Demonstrators held prayers and heavy army ISF presence was seen around the demonstrations.

The protesters blocked the road for an hour and a half and carried banners supporting the Syrian opposition.

One banner described the Syrian government as “the killing machine which the Syrian people are exposed to by the Assad regime.”

Protesters called on Arab states to expel Syrian ambassadors in solidarity with the Syrian opposition like Tunisia has already done. They also called for toppling the Lebanese Cabinet because protesters said it was complicit in killings by the Syrian regime and was not providing aid for Syrian refugees.

Several in north Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley have voiced support to the uprising. Arms are allegedly being smuggled to the Free Syrian Army and other rebels along the border and there are reports that Iranian hostages taken in Syria are now being held in Lebanon.

But that support is different in the rest of the country. The government is close to the Assad regime and officials have refused to condemn Syria.

Hezbollah has deep monetary connections to Iran by way of Damascus and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party retains a strong presence in Beirut. Both parties have seats in the Cabinet.

Source : dailystar.com