Lebanon’s FPM, Hezbollah Hold Onto Hariri

Arab World

November 28th, 8:11am

Beirut - Paula Astih

Mothers and residents of Ain el-Rummaneh and Shiyyah marched together in a solidarity rally, following overnight unrest in the area. (Photo: Nabil Ismail)

Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) have insisted on nominating caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri to head the new government, stressing that he should have a role in providing a solution to the country’s economic and political crises. The two parties argued that the crisis has been the result of economic policies adopted by several governments over the past years.   Ministerial sources close to President Michel Aoun told Asharq Al-Awsat that the insistence on Hariri was based on the certainty that he must assume the responsibility to finding solutions to the crises gripping the country, similar to other political parties. The sources added that Hezbollah and the FPM have underlined the need for Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt to also shoulder responsibility for the crises. Lebanon has been without a government since Hariri quit as prime minister on Oct. 29 following unprecedented demonstrations.   No date has yet been set by Aoun, who is the FPM founder, for binding parliamentary consultations to name a new prime minister.   Meanwhile, dozens of mothers gathered on Wednesday in a Beirut suburb to reject attempts of division and intimidation, following a night of sporadic confrontations between partisans of disputing political groups.   Mothers and residents of Ain el-Rummaneh and Shiyyah marched together in a solidarity rally.   The women called for rejecting “all the scenes that the streets witnessed over the past two days” and denouncing “the return to the rhetoric of frontlines and war.”   Stone-throwing clashes took place on Tuesday night between young men from the two neighborhoods and were quickly contained by the army.   Also on Tuesday, dozens of FPM supporters organized a convoy to the village of Bikfaya, where residents are predominantly supporters of the Kataeb Party, to demonstrate near the house of former President Amin Gemayel. People in the area confronted the convoy and attacked a number of cars before the army intervened and restored security.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2011891/lebanon%E2%80%99s-fpm-hezbollah-hold-hariri