Sources Rule Out Verbal Attacks between MPs to Have Repercussions on Political Life

High-ranking parliamentary sources ruled out that the verbal clashes that took place at parliament on Wednesday would be reflected on the political life after the cabinet receives its vote of confidence.

The sources told An Nahar daily published Thursday that the situation would remain within the boundaries of the political conflict, hinting that the dispute between pro- and anti-government MPs would not spill over to the street.

Among the verbal clashes that took place was a dispute between al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Nohad al-Mashnouq on one side and Hizbullah MP Nawwaf al-Moussawi and Minister and MP Ali Hassan Khalil on the other.

March 14 parliamentary sources told An Nahar that al-Mashnouq requested to make a statement only half an hour before his speech. But when Hizbullah and Amal MPs knew about the address, they held a meeting and readied themselves to confront the Mustaqbal lawmaker.

Khalil then moved from the seats allotted for ministers to the seat of MPs in order to give himself the right to respond to Mashnouq.

While al-Mustaqbal parliamentary sources denied to al-Liwaa newspaper that they explicitly sought to stir the verbal clashes, al-Mashnouq told al-Mustaqbal daily that he would not respond to accusations by March 8 MPs against him.

“Such bickering does not serve anyone. It is neither in the interest of the country nor in the interest of civil peace and stability,” he said.

The dispute erupted when Moussawi described al-Mashnouq as an agent for foreign intelligence after the Mustaqbal MP lashed out at Hizbullah.

Khalil also interrupted al-Mashnouq, who said cabinet was formed under the pressure of the Shiite party’s arms. “This remark is unacceptable, I reached my post thanks to the will of the people,” he stressed.