Jumblatt Assails Hariri Team as "Caravan of Camels"

Source: Al-Manar TV, 11-9-2008
The head of the Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblatt launched on Thursday a series of surprising statements, assailing his allies in the so-called "March 14" forces, including the Future Movement and, for the first time, its head MP Saad Hariri.
Jumblatt has, indeed, "achieved progress," and so did his ideas and beliefs. "Is it forbidden to progress?" he wondered, answering a question regarding the frequent alteration in his statements. Jumblatt attributed this change to the latest developments, saying that he understood the message of the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice about changing the Syrian conduct not the regime. He said that his policy to continue assailing Syria was only due to the mobilization necessities.
Speaking to Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Jumblatt said that Hariri has "achieved major progress in the past three years, but his problem lies in the team of advisors that surrounds him." He described Hani Hammoud, Hariri's media advisor, as "a decision maker ... and we also have (journalist) Oqab Saqr."
"All those take part in making the young politician's decision ... which leads to distorting the image of both Hariri and Future," Jumblat was quoted as saying.
Jumblatt also criticized Future MP's for becoming hard line Sunnis and labeled the Hariri team a "caravan of camels." He said that Hariri played a dangerous game with the Salafists "but he repaired it." He added that the Future movement has lost its consistency as one unified and electoral bloc in the north, even if it would maybe preserve it in other constituencies.
Jumblatt also hammered the "March 14 Christians", namely the Phalange party and Lebanese Forces, hinting that they would not be able to give any added value to their allies in the elections given that the Christian constituencies will determine the parliament majority. Jumblatt wished if he could "get rid of" Lebanese Forces MP Georges Odwan. He also criticized the conflicts within the bloc over posts and electoral seats, which contributed in weakening them.
Meanwhile, Jumblatt called for coexisting with the Resistance weapons until some regional and international changes happen, making it possible for Hizbullah to gradually enter into the State. He said that Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was the only person with whom it's possible to dialogue, "and also Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri."
PSP SAYS PUBLISHED INTERVIEW INCLUDED ERRONEOUS INFORMATION
However, the Progressive Socialist Party's media department issued a statement claiming the daily al-Akhbar "published clips from a lengthy conversation with party leader Walid Jumblatt that included erroneous (information) and tilted ideas ... especially that they came in the context of a non-official meeting that was not aimed at making statements to the press, but was within the framework of a general discussion" of recent developments.
The PSP's media department expressed "regret because the two journalists who visited the party leader reported facts of the meeting in violation of pre-meeting agreements." It said the alleged interview would "not have an impact on the historic comrade sheik Saad Hariri."