Al-Mustaqbal: Army Has Double Importance amid Current Circumstances

Al-Mustaqbal bloc lawmakers stressed on Tuesday on the significance of the army's role amid the current critical situation in Lebanon that is manifested in “Hizbullah's infringement of the state's prestige.”

“The army has a double importance in current circumstances, especially after the increased presence of outlaws,” the MPs said in a released statement after the bloc's weekly meeting at the Center House.

The statement elaborated: “The military institution is a main constituent in the country tasked with preserving stability and in the current critical conditions in Lebanon, it has a double role in taking care of the people's safety and applying the law.”

"When Hizbullah is violating the state's prestige and when it is practicing political intimidation, the presence and the role of the army become more significant.”

The MPs reiterated their “full support to the state and its security institutions to preserve stability and confront the enemy and any attack against Lebanon's sovereignty.”

"The only immunity left for the Lebanese people is the state and its institutions. The army is in the forefront of these institutions.”

Regarding the parliamentary session that Speaker Nabih Berri called for, al-Mustaqbal lawmakers said that “holding on to the same agenda increases confusion in the country.”

Two parliamentary sessions with 45 draft-laws on the agenda, including the extension of Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji, have been recently postponed over the boycott of several blocs and Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati.

Berri insists on keeping the 45 draft-laws on the session's agenda intact and had previously vowed to continue to call on MPs for a General Assembly meeting until the agenda is discussed.

Meanwhile, Miqati argues that there is no balance between the powers of the legislative and executive branches amid a resigned government.

Miqati and the March 14 alliance say that the agenda's articles should be limited to one draft-law, which is extending Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji's mandate.

However, MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform has a different reason to boycott the session. Aoun staunchly opposes the extension of Qahwaji's tenure.

Al-Mustaqbal lawmakers accused in their statement some political factions of “pretending to be keen on preserving the state's institutions.”

“But in reality, they are only covering corruption in ministries and suspicious deals,” the bloc stated.

In a separate matter, the statement condemned “the dangerous measures undertaken by Israel to change the identity of the Palestinian people.”

“We urge the United Nations, the Arab League and the U.N. Security Council to adopt the necessary measures against Israel's racial behaviors towards Palestinians,” it stressed.

The Israeli government in January approved the Prawer-Begin Bill in January, which calls for the relocation of 30,000-40,000 Bedouin, the demolition of about 40 villages and the confiscation of more than 700,000 dunums (70,000 hectares) of land in the Negev.

The bill was also approved by the Israeli parliament in a first reading in June, and two more votes on it are expected.