Bassil Opposes Hezbollah by Nominating Nawaf Salam for PM’s Post

President Michel Aoun receives British Ambassador Ian Collard at the Presidential Palace in Baabda (Photo: Dalati and Nohra).
President Michel Aoun receives British Ambassador Ian Collard at the Presidential Palace in Baabda (Photo: Dalati and Nohra).
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Bassil Opposes Hezbollah by Nominating Nawaf Salam for PM’s Post

President Michel Aoun receives British Ambassador Ian Collard at the Presidential Palace in Baabda (Photo: Dalati and Nohra).
President Michel Aoun receives British Ambassador Ian Collard at the Presidential Palace in Baabda (Photo: Dalati and Nohra).

Political contacts are accelerating in Lebanon ahead of the binding parliamentary consultations, scheduled for Monday, to designate a new prime minister to form a government.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri abandoned the mission earlier this month after failing to agree with President Michel Aoun and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gibran Bassil.

A well-informed Lebanese source told Asharq Al-Awsat that former Prime Minister Najib Mikati would be appointed on Monday with 60 to 65 parliamentary votes, while former Ambassador to the United Nations, Nawaf Salam, would receive around 20 votes, based on the decision announced by Bassil’s FPM on his nomination.

The source noted, however, that the formation of the government would then be impossible, due to Aoun’s objection to Mikati’s designation.

Meanwhile, sources close to Hezbollah said that the negotiations with Mikati were serious, adding that the latter was also discussing “details of two governments”, in preparation for the post-elections phase and the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

On the other hand, the FPM is heading towards nominating Salam, a move described by Hezbollah as “quarrelsome with the party, and will not gain American approval,” according to the sources.

The sources said that a meeting was held between Bassil and the leadership of Hezbollah on Thursday, during which the head of the FPM openly informed the party of his opposition to assigning Mikati.

The sources added that Bassil warned that if the FPM and the Lebanese Forces blocs did not vote for Mikati, the latter would be named prime minister without the approval of a major Christian bloc. This prompts Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to find a solution before holding the consultations.

The Lebanese Forces bloc, which had supported Salam in the previous designation process, abandoned his name, as announced by the head of the party, Dr. Samir Geagea, on Friday. The Democratic Gathering bloc would also refrain from nominating Salam, sources close to its head, MP Taymour Jumblatt, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

In remarks on Friday, Geagea said that the bloc would not name any candidate in the parliamentary consultations, noting that there was no solution to the deadlock but by holding early parliamentary elections.

According to Geagea, it is impossible to reach any reform as long as Aoun and Hezbollah hold onto power.

Asked about the reason that led the LF to abandon Salam’s designation, he said: “We named him a year ago, when we had some hope that there might be some improvement under the existing structure, and with a very big international initiative - the French one. But at the moment, we are convinced that we cannot reach a result, no matter who the prime minister is.”



ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas Officials

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem. Monday Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem. Monday Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
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ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas Officials

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem. Monday Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem. Monday Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory.

The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to further isolate them and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the 13-month conflict. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and several of the Hamas officials have been subsequently killed in the conflict.
Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic.

US President Joe Biden also blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request.

But the ICC said Thursday that Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction was not required.

Israel launched its war against Hamas after militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year.

Health officials in the Gaza Strip said Thursday the death toll from the 13-month-old war has surpassed 44,000.

The Israeli offensive has also caused heavy destruction across wide areas of the coastal territory and displaced 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people.

The court issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ armed wing, over the Oct. 7 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza. It said it found reasonable grounds to believe Deif was involved in murder, rape, torture and the taking of hostages amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Khan withdrew his request for warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, who have both since been killed. Israel says it also killed Deif in an airstrike, but Hamas has never confirmed his death.

The warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued by a three-judge panel in a unanimous decision.
The panel said there were reasonable grounds to believe they “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival,” including food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in September that it had submitted two legal briefs challenging the ICC’s jurisdiction and arguing that the court did not provide Israel the opportunity to investigate the allegations itself before requesting the warrants.