BEIRUT (AFP) – Lebanon’s anti-Syrian parliamentary majority called on its supporters on Wednesday to join a mass rally next week to mark the third anniversary of the assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri. The March 14 forces call on all the Lebanese to gather at Martyrs’ Square (in central Beirut) on February 14," to mark the 2005 car bombing that killed Hariri, former president Amin Gemayel said.

The rally is also intended as a protest against the protracted political deadlock that has left Lebanon without a president since November 23, Gemayel said after a meeting of the ruling coalition."The Lebanese will descend on Martyrs’ Square to tell the world, both friend and foe… that the presidency will not remain vacant. Lebanon will have a president and we will use our constitutional rights to achieve this goal," he said. "On February 14, the Lebanese will say out loud that they will not allow the failure of the Arab initiative," Gemayel said.

Majority leader Saad Hariri blasted Syria and Iran on Thursday for interfering in Lebanese politics and urged a massive turnout for a rally on the third anniversary of his father’s assassination."On Feb. 14, we will all go down to Martyr’s Square to speak in one voice…to say that the Lebanese are united, that they reject terrorism…and that all attempts to intimidate us won’t succeed," Hariri said in a fiery speech to a packed audience of party members and supporters."On Feb. 14 we will converge on Martyr’s Square from all corners of the country to speak out loud in one voice that we want a president…to say that the road to the presidency cuts through Beirut and the parliament building, not through Damascus or Tehran," he added.  Syria has denied any involvement in the killing.