I’ve never been one to put it past Assad to have much class, but this is a bit much. The Syrian government has called unequivocally, through its state-run media, for people to take to the streets of Beirut in order to topple Lebanon’s first independently elected government. Anyone else thinks the heat is starting to get to his head?

Syria has called through its state-controlled Damascus daily Tishreen for a massive demonstration in Beirut Thursday to overthrow Premier Saniora’s government as Lebanon’s confrontation with the Assad regime and its Lebanese supporters seems to be climbing to a new peak.
The call was widely dubbed by the local media as a flagrant intervention in Lebanon’s domestic affairs in defiance of unrelenting global pressure on the Assad regime to take its hands off Lebanon and submit unconditionally to all demands made by the Detlev Mehlis U.N. commission investigating Rafik Hariri’s assassination.

An Nahar noted on Tuesday that not a single political group in Lebanon has announced any plans to demonstrate in Beirut or elsewhere in Lebanon in order to topple Saniora’s 24-member cabinet when it will be holding a debate for a way out of the fuel crisis on Thursday.

Tishreen said widespread riots in northern and eastern Lebanon over high fuel prices in the past three days would escalate into a massive ‘orange’ demonstration in Beirut Thursday, demanding the ouster of the Saniora government under the slogan of “Cold + Famine = Revolt.”

The Tishreen call seems to be an ‘inspiration’ to Hizbullah and other Assad 5th columnists in Lebanon to take to the street to bring down Saniora’s government, which is the first administration formed in Lebanon after Syria’s evacuation in April which ended 29 years of ruthless occupation.

Unless Hizbullah responds, there won’t be any meaningful anti-government protests in Beirut. As if mindful of this concept, Saniora has formally asked Hizbullah’s Energy Minister Mohammed Fneish to prepare a study on ways to squeeze spiraling diesel oil prices down.

After throwing the ball of fuel crisis into Hizbullah’s court, Saniora took off to Bahrain for a one-day visit during which he meets King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa.

On November 10, Assad gave a speech espousing typical Arab-nationalist ideas and declared war on the international community over Lebanon. This call for revolution in Lebanon is the cherry on the top of that icecream. Assad is basically declaring that he is willing to go it till the end and use every means at his disposal to survive.

One of those means at his disposal are political parties linked to his regime, like Amal and Hizb’allah. Following Assad’s speech, Lebanese Prime Minister Seniora wanted to discuss it with his cabinet. The five Shiite ministers, all of whom are connected to Amal or Hizb’allah directly or indirectly, walked out. They walked out on Lebanon. This call for revolution is another test for Shiite groups, especially Hizb’allah, to come out in favor of Assad and work against the current Lebanese government.

It is ironic then that Assad is calling Seniora a slave to foreign interests working against Syria, when Hizb’allah itself is a slave to Syria working against Lebanon from within. How it reacts now will be crucial; though, given its position after the Cedar Revolution, it will not likely leap at the opportunity to isolate itself in Lebanese politics. The main effect will be the fear that, at any second, Assad can give the order and his underlings in Lebanon will wreck political havoc.

Rising fuel prices won’t be enough to topple the Seniora government, as most believe that he is doing a good job running the country and juggling the demands of the international community. The Energy Minister is a member of Hizb’allah, and while it is the first time that one has ever served in the cabinet, his failure to find a way out of the problem would discredit Hizb’allah as being able to govern and would be a good reason to fire him. If there is going to be any more revolutions in Lebanon, it will be against Syrian proxies in the political system.