Hizbullah Will Not Topple Govt. despite Dispute over STL Funding

The dispute over the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will not lead the government to propose its dissolution, prominent government sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published on Sunday.

Furthermore, they added that this issue would not lead to the toppling of the government either seeing as it was able to overcome other contentious matters, such as the electricity file.

They noted that the government will not be overthrown because of the STL even if the majority of the political factions oppose the tribunal.

President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati may therefore not even propose the issue of the funding before cabinet in order to avoid its rejection, continued the sources.

They may instead issue a decree ordering Lebanon to pay its share of the STL budget.

This decree would only need their approval and that of the Finance Minister, revealed the sources.

Circles supporting the funding asserted that it will take place regardless of Hizbullah’s deep opposition to the tribunal.

They noted however that the party would not go so far in its opposition to actually topple the government because “its main priority is to remain the most powerful voice within cabinet.”

“Should it overthrow the government, it may lose its last chance to ever acquire a political majority in a new one,” added the sources.

“Furthermore, maintaining Miqati as head of government is better than having someone else, like former PM Saad Hariri, take his place despite the differences in opinion between the prime minister and Hizbullah,” they stated.

Miqati had said that he advocates the funding of the STL, while Hizbullah has repeatedly stated that it will not cooperate with the court, which it has deemed an America-Israeli product aimed at destroying the party.