2023-06-12 22:24:31
The escalation of the political rhetoric and anticipation of the positions of the hesitant blocs
Beirut: «The Gulf»
Preparations and political mobilization continued on the eve of the parliamentary session scheduled to elect a president for Lebanon, which is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, in conjunction with the escalation of political discourse, and anticipation for resolving the positions of the hesitant blocs, amid expectations that this session will catch up with its predecessors and that a president will not be elected during it, at a time when the opposition candidate considered the former minister to be jihad Azour said that his candidacy is not a challenge to anyone and that he is committed to change and his hand is extended for dialogue, while caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the United Nations to pressure Israel to stop its repeated violations of the Blue Line and Lebanese sovereignty, provided that he presides today, Tuesday, a session to discuss the draft Lebanese paper on the displacement file that will be presented in Brussels conference.
Observers expect three scenarios for the session, the first of which is that it will not be held at all and will be postponed because the quorum is not complete, which is 86 deputies. To hold its two rounds, and no candidate obtains the necessary votes to win, and it is postponed, meaning that the three scenarios will not lead to the election of a president in tomorrow’s session, which paves the way for more rounds of internal and external dialogue to reach an understanding on a consensual candidate, while the French special envoy to Lebanon is expected to visit. Jean-Yves Le Drian Beirut following the session and in light of its results. In this context, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri discussed political developments and developments in the general situation, especially the presidential elections, with the French Ambassador to Lebanon, Anne Griot, who left without making a statement.
For his part, Azour said, in a statement, that his candidacy is not a challenge to anyone, but rather a call for unity, breaking alignments, and searching for common grounds, in order to get out of the crisis and employ all of our experience, imagination, and will to return to the path of progress. The Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rai also announced that his purpose in sending delegates to religious authorities was to “emphasize that the Patriarchate is at an equal distance from all candidates, and to consult with these authorities regarding holding the election of a president for the republic following eight months of a destructive void for the state and the people.”
On the other hand, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati confirmed, during his meeting with UNIFIL Commander Andrea Tenenti, that “Lebanon is committed to International Resolution 1701 and to coordination between the army and international forces to maintain stability in the south.” Mikati called on the United Nations to put pressure on Israel to stop its repeated violations of the Blue Line and Lebanese sovereignty, and also to stop works within Lebanese territory. Because this matter causes dangerous tensions, stressing that “Lebanon adheres to its right to recover its occupied lands and not to abandon them.” Today, Tuesday, Mikati will preside over a cabinet session to discuss the issue of the displaced Syrians, and the unified working paper that Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib will carry to the conference for the displaced Syrians in Brussels, which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. The agenda includes the subject of the Ministry of Justice’s request to agree to conclude a consensual agreement with French lawyers to assist in the lawsuit filed by the French state in the file of Anna Kosakova and her companions, which is linked to the file of the Governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh.
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