Political and security relaxation in Lebanon until the beginning of the new year. This is confirmed by Lebanese officials who heard Western assurances that the incident that led to the death of a UNIFIL member was absorbed, and that any other security incidents, if they occurred, would be transient and would not lead to an explosion of the situation in Lebanon, as there is an international understanding since the signing of the border demarcation agreement. South, considering security in the country a red line that must not be crossed.
Although the vacuum that infiltrates state institutions, as a result of the prevailing intractability in the presidential file, in addition to the continued historic collapse of the Lebanese pound without brakes, may not inspire relaxation for many, but all current data confirm that the situation is holding to a large extent.
Presidential dependence on abroad
Presidentially, and while the boring play that the Lebanese are accustomed to every Thursday is absent, at least for the next two weeks, informed political sources told Al-Diyar that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will “seriously study the feasibility of continuing to call for new sessions whose path and fate are known,” pointing out that “this play It has become embarrassing for the political team to which Berri mainly belongs, given that the other team has been sticking to one candidate since the start of the battle, while Berri’s team is still committed to the white paper and to breaking the quorum in the second rounds, which is what the team portrays that is disrupting the entitlement. The sources indicate that Berri and Hezbollah have been studying for a while, not securing a quorum, even from the first session, but the constant pressure of the Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rai made him continue to call for sessions, provided that he takes advantage of the holidays to formulate a new plan to deal with the next stage.
The sources pointed out that “all forces inside the country have become convinced that no one is able to break the cycle of emptiness in which we are revolving, except for an external party,” explaining that “there is dependence on the role that Paris plays in this field at the beginning of the year, with the possibility that it will try to reach an understanding.” Internal-external, named following the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun. And the sources add: “During that time, we will have a date with a long void that may last for months or even years.”
Escalation of the sponsor without an executive mechanism
At this time, the Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rai continued his escalation once morest Hezbollah. And he pointed at him yesterday, in the Sunday sermon, without naming him:
– First: From the gate of the killing of the Irish soldier in the “UNIFIL,” considering that “the time has come for the state to seize every unlawful and illegal weapon and implement Resolution 1701 in letter and spirit, because its implementation until now is selective, arbitrary, and restricted by the decision of the de facto forces, while The state bites at its own wound and limits its capabilities for the benefit of others.”
– Second: From the gate of developments in the border town of Rmeish, expressing his regret for “the encroachments on the town’s lands in the Smokhia farm, adjacent to the international borders, by elements of the de facto forces affiliated with one of the parties in the region.”
Informed sources told Al-Diyar that “the sponsor’s escalation will be continuous, and his pressure will continue without a ceiling, but what weakens his position is that he is not linked to an executive mechanism.” His pressure to elect a president will remain subject to criticism, as long as the Christian forces and the first Christian reference in the country, i.e. Bkerki, did not succeed in agreeing on a candidate to present to the rest of the political forces. The sources added: “The leaderships of the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces are still pressing, separately, on the sponsor, to continue the dialogue sessions that he is conducting with them, without them having to sit with each other at one table. It is possible that a similar mechanism might lead to a solution. It is likely that the leadership of the “current” clings to it to pass the time, pending a change in internal and external circumstances, which allows it to seriously propose the name of Representative Habran Basil to succeed General Michel Aoun.
Smooth elections for the mufti
Yesterday, the local mufti elections were held in the regions of Tripoli, Akkar, Zahle, Rashaya, Baalbek-Hermel, and Hasbaya-Marjeyoun smoothly. Sheikh Muhammad Tariq, Imam of the Mufti of Tripoli, each won with 66.40 percent, Sheikh Zaid Muhammad Bakkar Zakaria, Mufti of Akkar, with 45.56 percent, Sheikh Ali Al-Ghazawi, Mufti of Zahle, with 56.60 percent, Sheikh Wafiq Hijazi, Mufti of Rashaya, with 85.70 percent. Sheikh Ayman Al-Rifai, Mufti of Baalbek – Hermel, by 65 percent, and Sheikh Hassan Dali, Mufti of Hasbaya – Marjeyoun, by 80.95 percent.
The Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abd al-Latif Darian, congratulated the winning muftis, and considered that “what happened in the elections for the muftis is a clear message to all the political forces in Lebanon, to hasten to elect a president for the republic that brings together the Lebanese, and adheres to the constitution and the national pact, especially the document of national reconciliation known as the Accord.” Taif, which brought Lebanon out of the tunnel of conflicts to the vastness of the homeland.