United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesman Andrea Tenenti stated on Wednesday that the international force supports Lebanon and Israel’s discussion of issues of maritime security.
Commenting on the Lebanese army’s request from UNIFIL to demarcate the Lebanese-Syrian maritime border, he said: “The international force does not have the jurisdiction to demarcate this border.”
Full StorySpeaker Nabih Berri criticized the March 14 forces on Wednesday for lamenting their loss of power in the government, saying their campaign against Hizbullah’s arms contradicted with national principles.
In his weekly meeting with lawmakers at the parliament building, Berri reportedly stressed the need to form the government as soon as possible in order to face future challenges and solve problems such as shortage of water and power rationing.
Full StoryThe March 14 Secretariat General called on Wednesday the supporters of the Cedar Revolution to once again head down to the Martyrs’ Square at 10:00 am on Sunday to reiterate their commitment to state’s right to be the only authority entitled to possess weapons in the country.
It said after its weekly meeting: “You are invited to make a new historic day so that it will pave the way for the future that you aspire to.”
Full StoryPhalange Party MP Sami Gemayel filed a complaint against the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad over his latest press conference from parliament during which a poster supporting the March 8 camp’s positions was displayed behind him.
The complaint was filed to Speaker Nabih Berri on the basis that the “poster tarnished parliament’s image by attributing positions to it that it did not make.”
Full StoryA snowstorm lashed Lebanon on Wednesday as high winds reached 85 kilometers per hour and heavy rains drenched the Lebanese coast causing bumper-to-bumper traffic in several areas.
The Meteorology Department said the snowfall at 1000 meters could reach 800 meters above sea level on Thursday. Temperatures reached 6 degrees on the coast and below zero on mountain tops.
Full StoryAl-Mustaqbal bloc MP Ammar Houri described Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun as a “political adolescent” who doesn’t know what to say.
“Every time we hoped that Gen. Aoun would reach political maturity, we got surprised that he was still in (the stage) of political adolescence and did not pay attention to what he was saying is most cases,” Houri told An Nahar daily in remarks published Wednesday.
Full StoryProgressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat criticized the March 14 camp’s conduct, accusing it of increasing the dangerous internal divide in Lebanon that “is targeting an entire sect.”
He said in an interview with al-Akhbar published on Wednesday: “Failure to form a government is an escalatory measure by the March 14 forces ahead of the March 13 rally without it actually having a key to end the crisis.”
Full StoryPremier-designate Najib Miqati’s circles denied that the international community was pressuring the billionaire businessman, saying ambassadors meeting with him are only hoping that he would form a balanced cabinet that would preserve stability in Lebanon.
Miqati asked the diplomats, including U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly, to judge him only after the formation of the government, the circles said.
Full StoryOutgoing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir reiterated that only Lebanon’s armed forces should carry weapons and described as abnormal the presence of arms in the people’s hands.
In remarks to al-Joumhouriah newspaper published Wednesday, Sfeir said: “We either have a state or we don't. Only the state should own weapons.”
Full StoryU.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams stressed the importance of forming the cabinet to confront several challenges including the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s upcoming indictment.
In an interview published in As Safir newspaper Wednesday, Williams warned of the dangers of a power vacuum if the formation of the cabinet takes more time.
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