BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Sunday he would not veto any presidential candidate who won national consensus, and called for the revival of state institutions under the auspices of the Taif Accord.

Hariri also criticized Hezbollah for its continued involvement in the Syrian civil war, and dismissed remarks made by the party’s leader, Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, in which he said that “the road to Jerusalem passes through Syria.”

“This is an occasion to announce again that the doors are not closed to any realistic solution, and that there will be no veto of any candidate [who wins] national consensus,” Hariri said, referring to the presidential crisis.

The Future Movement leader said that neither betting on changes in Syria, nor waiting for the outcome of the Iranian nuclear talks would lead to the election of a president.

“We all have no choice but to abide by the Constitution, and return to using political communication to agree on a practical way out of the presidential impasse,” Hariri said in a speech, which was broadcast via video link to iftar banquets held by the Future Movement in a number of Lebanese districts.

Commenting on the security appointments crisis that has embroiled the Cabinet, Hariri said a majority in the government have called for holding off on the appointment of a new Army commander until the current one is scheduled to retire in September.

The Cabinet is currently deadlocked over the issue, and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun has demanded that the government address it before discussing any other item on its agenda. Aoun is lobbying for his son-in-law, Brig. Gen. Shamel Roukoz, head of the Army Commando Unit, to be appointed new Army commander.

“When we reached the issue of the security appointments, the disagreement appeared inside the government, in which we do not have a majority,” Hariri said.

“There is a predominant opinion in the government and among political forces, a clear position from Defense Minister [Samir Moqbel], and a preponderant position from Speaker [Nabih] Berri, which indicate that in light of the current dispute, the Army commander issue should be discussed in due time – in September.”

Aoun has accused Salam and the Future Movement of depriving Christians of their rights. His party staged anti-government protests in Downtown Beirut last week.

“We the Future Movement, will not get into any confrontation on sectarian basis … [and] not be dragged to outbidding, escalation and radicalism because this is a recipe to destroy civil peace and a first, last and final step toward civil war,” Hariri said.

He explained that the Future Movement had cooperated with the FPM in forming Salam’s government, and on the dozens of decisions it has made.

“Not a single decision was taken in the government without the agreement of all the blocs, including the bloc of the Free Patriotic Movement.”

“We are not in a sectarian confrontation with anyone, and those who want such a confrontation will find themselves starting it with themselves,” he said.

Commenting on proposals to replace the power-sharing system set up under the Taif Accord with a tripartite power-sharing formula or federalist system, Hariri contended that the country’s only option was to energize state institutions under the auspices of Taif.

“We only have one choice: to show solidarity in restoring respect for the Constitutional institutions, and protecting the idea on which the state of Lebanon was set up and consecrated through theNational Pact in the 1940s, which was renewed in the national reconciliation document in Taif.”

Hariri also praised Salam for preventing the government from falling into stasis. “We aspire to integrate [our efforts] with the efforts of Speaker Nabih Berri to activate the legislative work within the framework of a political understanding on the priorities, namely the election of a president who will hold the reins of leadership and renew lost hope in the concept of the state.”

Hariri criticized Hezbollah for its continued fighting in Syria, saying it would not save the regime of President Bashar Assad from falling and result only in the loss of more Lebanese lives. “Hundreds of young Lebanese whose lives were sacrificed have not achieved, nor will be able to achieve, the goals of Hezbollah in protecting it [the Syrian regime],” Hariri said.

“We said in the past and emphasize today: getting involved in the Syrian war will not protect Lebanon. When you play with fire, expect the fire to burn you.”

Responding to a speech Friday by Nasrallah, in which he called for distancing Lebanon from regional conflicts, Hariri said he felt “it was a slip of the tongue” by the Hezbollah leader, “Because everything that was said afterward was an insistence on pushing Lebanon into all [regional] conflicts: from Yemen to Iraq to Syria!”

What would really protect Lebanon, he continued, is national consensus, and bestowing the state with the security, military, political, social and economic responsibilities which should naturally belong to it.

“[The state must] determine the full framework of the fight against terrorism, [organize] the protection of the Bekaa Valley towns, and control border [traffic] in both directions. [It must] address the Syrian refugee issue as necessitated by humanitarian and brotherly relations, and with the [restrictions] required for Lebanese security,” he said.

“Hezbollah does not want to hear this speech, but we bet that this logic can find a place in the minds and hearts of the [leaders] and sons of the Shiite community, and those misguided by the illusion of pre-emptive war.”

Hezbollah argues that it is fighting a pre-emptive war against rebels inside Syria to preclude such a fighting on Lebanese soil and limit spillover from the conflict.

Hariri also lambasted Nasrallah for saying that “the road to Jerusalem passes through Syria.”

“The road to Palestine does not pass through Zabadani and Damascus! The road from Beirut to Tehran passes through Syria and Iraq, but the road to Palestine, certainly not!”