Opposition’s Escalating Tone Flares, Doesn’t Affect
By Mariam Ali
Unlike Tuesday's parliamentary session, when the majority failed "March 14's" plan A of verbal attacks, the minority's plan B of escalating the tone to unfamiliar climax succeeded in spreading tension without spreading the intended chaos.
Failing Tactics
The opposition tactics differed Wednesday compared to the facts of the first day of confidence discussions. "Virtual calm was deceptive, and falls in the context of testing waters and exploring the land, before the storm begins," Lebanese "as-Safir" news paper said.
"PM Najib Mikati remained silent and quiet, keeping his patience, despite the violent and personal campaigns that he suffered and which amounted to accuse him of abandoning the blood of the martyrs." "as-Safir" added.
Mikati's Reply
"Mikati will renew his call to the correlation close relationship between justice and stability complement to what the Secretary General of Hizbullah his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had referred to in his last speech." The paper informed.
Meanwhile, prominent parliamentary circles told "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily that "the situation will remain in the political framework of the conflict, without undermining the size of tensions that was translated in the hostile tones."
"Calls started and are expected to continue ahead of the last session to re-adjust things and limit the discussion within the quiet frameworks especially that between the remaining speakers on the list are heads of parliamentary blocs which requires the culmination of three days of meetings by the principle positions." "an-Nahar" revealed.
Hariri Exchange of Blood, Power
Uncovering that a Lebanese security system leaked details of portfolios of people mentioned in the indictment before it was delivered," Fadlallah added that ""Israel" and its allies had drafted the indictment on behalf of the STL to track down and arrest members of the resistance, whom "Israel" failed to hunt down since 1982, when "Israeli" enemy invaded Lebanon and besieged its capital."
""March 14" groups would fail to overthrow the government by seeking foreign intervention, just as "Israel" failed to defeat the resistance." Fadlallah stressed.
"The dispute is no longer local and the competition is no longer democratic after foreign intervention was sought. It seems that they don't remember that the fleets were on the shores of Beirut and were defeated as well as "Israeli" tanks that advanced on the capital before fleeing," Fadlallah said.
Echoing Fadlallah, Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc member Ali Fayyad said that ""March 14" plan to besiege the Lebanese Cabinet on the international and Arab levels posed a serious threat to Lebanon as whole, not just the Cabinet."
"Plans by the March 14 movement to incite the international community to bring sanctions and isolate Lebanon if it does not support the tribunal is unprecedented and presents a serious danger to Lebanon," he said.
50 MPs took the floor in the first 2 days. The list of speakers still includes 8 MPs, the most important being former PM Fouad Siniora, General Michel Aoun, MP
It urged the government to "respect and adhere to international resolutions."
Lebanese Parliament Wednesday didn't absorb tension and cramping that often accompanied "March 14" speeches. Thus, it removed its curtain declaring the beginning of a new scene under the title: Intense debate peppered with accusations, insults and epithets.
However, the theater is to close its play Thursday, despite straying bullets, with a vivid confidence to Prime Minister Najib Mikati's government announcing the beginning of a new era.
In this context, "March 14" hawks pumped extra doses of political speeches, targeting directly Syria and Hizbullah, as well as the government and PM.
House Speaker Nabih Berri, who stepped in repeatedly to restore calm, warned against plans to heat up Parliament's atmosphere in a bid to create tension in the country.
Berri resorted to his well-known sense of humor to deflate the sometimes-tense proceedings during the long day in Nijmeh Square.
"As-Safir" daily expected that Mikati is to have a brief reply at the end of three days confidence sessions. In his speech, "PM will start probably from the point raised by the Speaker Berri that what the parliament witnessed in the discussion sessions is the biggest proof of the need for dialogue."
Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah revealed that "the Turkish-Qatari paper that Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah received included abandonment of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on the tribunal in exchange for returning to power."
Mohammad Raad, and MP Bahia Hariri
Maronite Bishops: STL Timing?!
Outside the parliament, the Council of Maronite Bishops' statement caught the attention of political circles, especially over its controversial stance on the indictment issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
The statement highlighted the fact that "the STL issued its indictment at a time when the cabinet was preparing to discuss its ministerial statement, which ignited controversy and deepened the rift between the various sides."
Comments
