عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Hariri Links Increasing Number Of Ministers to Disrupting Vetoing Third

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri (Dalati & Nohra).
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri (Dalati & Nohra).
TT
20
TT

Hariri Links Increasing Number Of Ministers to Disrupting Vetoing Third

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri (Dalati & Nohra).
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri (Dalati & Nohra).

A prominent political source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the head of Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), former Minister Gebran Bassil, was still obstructing the formation of a new government and disregarding recent European warnings about imposing sanctions on Lebanese officials.

In an official communiqué last week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned Lebanese officials of EU pressure if they continue to obstruct government-making after months of deadlock.

Le Drian warned of “identifying European Union leverage for stepping up pressure on those responsible for the deadlock”, in an allusion to potential sanctions. The statement came after the French minister spoke by phone with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Lebanese political source said that Hezbollah, along with other mediators, communicated with Bassil in an attempt to persuade him to drop his conditions that are obstructing the formation of the government.

According to the source, Bassil insisted on his demands, despite some flexibility shown by Aoun with regards to the vetoing third - a flexibility that remains insufficient without the approval of the president’s son-in-law and political heir.

The source avoided answering a question about the role of Hezbollah and its willingness to pressure Bassil to soften his position. He noted however that Hariri, who conducted a short visit to the UAE earlier this week, was maintaining communication with Berri on the government issue.

In this regard, the political source stressed that Hariri expressed utmost flexibility to any move that would be proposed by Berri, but insisted on Aoun’s consent to drop his condition regarding obtaining the vetoing third in the government.

He added that the premier designate would only accept increasing the number of ministers from 18 to 24, as demanded by Aoun, if the latter relinquishes his insistence on the blocking third.

Hariri, according to the source, remains fully committed to the road map drawn up by French President Emmanuel Macron, which stipulates the formation of a government of specialists and independents, who will work on a reform program as the condition to obtain financial and economic aid.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Israel Strikes Beirut's Suburbs to Target What It Says is Hezbollah Drone Production

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
TT
20
TT

Israel Strikes Beirut's Suburbs to Target What It Says is Hezbollah Drone Production

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

The Israeli military struck several sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs that it said held underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone production Thursday, on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The strikes marked the first time in more than a month that Israel had struck on the outskirts of the capital and the fourth time since a US-brokered ceasefire agreement ended the latest war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November, The Associated Press said.

Israel posted a warning ahead of the strikes on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing that it would hit eight buildings at four locations.

Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon since the ceasefire, which Lebanon has said are in violation of the agreement. Israeli officials say the strikes are intended to prevent Hezbollah from regrouping after a war that took out much of its senior leadership and arsenal.

The Israeli army said in a statement that Hezbollah was “working to produce thousands of drones under the guidance and financing of Iranian terrorist groups.”

Hezbollah “used drones extensively in its attacks against the State of Israel and is working to expand its drone industry and production in preparation for the next war,” the army statement said.

There was no immediate statement from Hezbollah.

A Hezbollah official denied that there were drone production facilities at the targeted locations.

“In the (ceasefire) agreement, there is a mechanism for investigating if there is a complaint,” the official said. “Israel in general, and Netanyahu in particular, wants to continue the war in the region.”

A Lebanese army official said the army had attempted to convince Israel not to carry out the strikes and to instead let Lebanese officials go in to search the area under the mechanism laid out in the ceasefire agreement, but that the Israeli army refused, so Lebanese soldiers moved away from the locations. Israeli army officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Both Lebanese officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the strikes.

Aoun in a statement called them a “blatant violation of an international agreement, as well as the basic principles of international and humanitarian laws and resolutions, on the eve of a sacred religious occasion” and said it demonstrates Israel's “rejection of the requirements of stability, settlement and just peace in our region.”

He accused Israel of using Lebanon as a “mailbox” to send a message to the United States. He did not elaborate. Washington has been negotiating with Iran - Hezbollah's longtime backer - for a deal over Tehran's nuclear program and has warned Israel not to strike Iran in the meantime.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement praised the Israeli air force for “perfect execution” of the strikes and said Israel will “continue to enforce the ceasefire rules without any compromise.” He said Israel holds the “Lebanese government directly responsible for preventing violations of the ceasefire and all terrorist activity" against Israel.”

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began on Oct. 8, 2023 when the Lebanese militant group began launching rockets across the border in support of its ally, Hamas, in Gaza. Israel responded with airstrikes and shelling and the two were quickly locked in a low-level conflict that continued for nearly a year before escalating into full-scale war in September 2024.

It killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians, while the Lebanese government said in April that Israeli strikes had killed another 190 people and wounded 485 wounded since the ceasefire.

There has been increasing pressure on Hezbollah - both domestic and international - to give up its remaining arsenal, but officials with the group have said they will not do so until Israel stops its airstrikes and withdraws from five points it is still occupying along the border in southern Lebanon.