Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Druze community native of Lebanon, announced Friday, January 21 fall into the camp of Hezbollah in the current political crisis in Lebanon. This support could prove decisive in the negotiations to appoint a new prime minister after the fall of the government of Saad Hariri."I confirm the position of my party to stand alongside Syria and the resistance," Jumblatt said during a news conference, referring to the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah. He said that this decision was motivated by his desire to preserve Lebanon's stability. Eleven ministers have resigned Hezbollah camp on January 12 of the unity government, causing it to fall, after months of wrestling with the camp of Prime Minister Hariri on the UN tribunal charged with identifying and to try the assassins of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Saad's father.
Of the 128 MPs, the parliamentary bloc of Mr Jumblatt has 11 elected members (including five belonging to his party), it Hezbollah, 57, and that of Saad Hariri, 60. To impose its candidate for prime minister, Hezbollah needs 8 more votes in the 57 that are insured. But the rallying of Mr.
Jumblatt does not mean that the other 10 members of his bloc will follow. The Shiite movement is opposed to another term of Saad Hariri, but the latter confirmed on Thursday his candidacy "in spite of intimidation." Hezbollah and its allies should submit their candidate Omar Karami, already prime minister twice.
Lebanon has been divided for months about the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), supported by the Hariri camp but discredited by Hezbollah, which expects to be implicated in the assassination. Trying in vain for months to get that Saad Hariri is repudiating the TSL, he warned that they "defend" against any defendant.
Jumblatt, for its part accused the TSL seek to sow discord: "The court has become an instrument of destruction and deviates from the path of justice to become" the place where all the haggling. He also explained that he agreed with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, whom he met recently for the policy statement of the new government disavows the STL.
Ahmad Fatfat, MP Hariri camp, said his coalition would not participate in a government led by Hezbollah and its allies. - Press: "A crisis that is disproportionately important" - Analysis: "The Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a blessing or a curse?"
- Lebanon's Druze to back Hezbollah (21/01/2011)
- Lebanese leader: Hezbollah will turn Lebanon into the new Gaza - Ha'aretz (22/01/2011)
- Lebanon's Druze leader says backs Hezbollah (21/01/2011)
- Lebanon Druze leader Walid Jumblatt to back Hezbollah - BBC News (21/01/2011)
- Lebanese Druze Throw Support to Hezbollah (21/01/2011)
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