Jumblat Advises Hariri to Quit

Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat called on PM-designate Saad Hariri to call off the government formation efforts, describing as “futile” any future meeting between President Michel Aoun and Hariri at Bkirki.

“Once again, I advise Hariri to step down and let them (the Hizbullah led camp) bring their desired PM whether he be Hassan Diab, Faisal Karami, or anyone else...it would be better for him and for us,” said Jumblat in televised remarks he made Thursday on MTV’s show Sar El Wa2et.

“Let the defiance team, that is the Free Patriotic Movement (of Aoun), stay at the forefront and behind it Hizbullah. Nothing is left (in Lebanon). We have become a missile platform,” said Jumblat, referring to the latest statements of an Iranian general about Lebanon.

“I call on Hariri to apologize and withdraw from his mission to form the government. My problem lies with Aoun and those standing behind him. We have to confirm Lebanon's principles of diversity, borders and truces. We are not a battlefield, otherwise Hariri cancels himself,” he added.

Jumblat stated that leader of the FPM and son-in-law of Aoun, MP Jebran Bassil, wants to get the blocking third in the new cabinet in case anything happens to the President.

The FPM “wants to rule through the blocking third in case anything happens to Aoun,” said Jumblat.

On his participation in the government, he said: “Let Hariri choose the name he wants, but he can not persuade me of his ability to make a change, I say that for his own sake.”

The PSP leader said he objects not to having his rival Druze figure, MP Talal Arslan, get the ministerial seat in the next cabinet. “Let us see if they can cancel us,” he stated.