BEIRUT: The Future Movement parliamentary bloc blasted Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah Tuesday for his comments on the speeches made at BIEL last week during a rally to commemorate the seventh anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination.

The bloc condemned Nasrallah’s remarks, describing them as negative and disrespectful.

In a speech last week after a March 14 BIEL gathering, Nasrallah lashed out at former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea for their speeches in support of the pro-democracy protesters in Syria.

“Why are you fighting with money and arms, and why are all of you in March 14 involved in escalating the fighting in Syria? In your speeches, you concentrated the campaign in Syria, but on what basis? Is this in the interest of Lebanon and in the interest of Christians and Muslims who live here?” Nasrallah asked. “Do Syria’s laws permit you to send arms and play the Syrians against each other? I call on you to stay calm.”

Speaking following their weekly meeting in Beirut, the Future bloc said Nasrallah’s attack on the speeches further exacerbated divisions among Lebanese citizens.

“The bloc voices its anger toward Nasrallah’s reaction to the speeches made during the seventh anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination, especially with regard to Saad Hariri’s speech, who announced that Lebanon’s fate depends on dialogue and not civil strife,” said a statement released by the bloc.

“The negative attitude that Nasrallah expressed in his speeches exacerbated the strong divisions that Hezbollah has created among the Lebanese in order to keep its grip on the [Shiite] sect,” said the statement.

Although Nasrallah left the door open in his speech for dialogue between the rival March 14 and March 8 coalitions, he accused March 14 parties of financing and arming Syrian opposition groups that are trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Future Movement and other parties within the March 14 coalition maintain that the Lebanese governments official position should be to support the popular demonstrations in Syria, while most of the parties in March 8 support the embattled Syrian president.