Report: Aoun’s Street Action to Launch after Cabinet’s Session Thursday
Naharnet/July 05/15/The street protests pledged by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun will kick off “immediately” after Thursday’s cabinet session, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday. Leading sources from the movement told the daily: “We have not yet set the final date and time of the first popular protest.” “We are seeking wide participation however,” they added. “We are not concerned whether our allies join us or not,” they stressed. “The battle we are waging is one for our existence and we will not back down from it,” the sources declared. “From now on, we will deal with some of our allies according to the files being proposed,” they explained. “We may be allies while tackling one issue and foes while dealing with another,” they clarified. Aoun revealed plans to hold demonstrations in several districts and his son-in-law Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil vowed to take “partnership by force.”“The Christians of the Orient are being eliminated by the sword and they want to eliminate us politically,” Aoun told his supporters in Rabieh on Saturday. “This is why we started preparing for popular movements and demonstrations in the districts of Mount Lebanon, Baabda and Koura,” he said as the delegation from south Lebanon cheered. Aoun, who heads the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, has been recently hinting that his movement is preparing for protests to what he calls attempts by his rivals to end the role of Christians in Lebanon. “We Christians are facing an existential threat because the foxes of Lebanese politics are usurping all the rights and posts of Christians,” he added.
Report: Salam’s Cabinet Will Not Be Toppled by Protests or Politics
Naharnet/July 05/15/Prime Minister Tammam Salam took the decision to schedule a cabinet session immediately after the end of the previous one over his keenness to ensure the productivity of his government, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Sunday. “He is keen to preserve its productivity regardless of the obstacles,” ministerial sources explained. “His cabinet will not be toppled by politics or protests,” they added in reference to Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s intention to hold demonstrations in several districts to reclaim the political rights of Christians. “The government will be considered resigned once a new president is elected,” they continued. “This was demonstrated by Speaker Nabih Berri’s strong support for the cabinet, along with Hizbullah, whose deputy chief had expressed on Saturday the party’s commitment to the government,” said the sources. Al-Anba meanwhile interpreted Salam making his call on Friday instead of the habitual Saturday for cabinet to convene as an act of defiance against Aoun and his demand that the government only tackle the security appointments file during its meetings. Aoun revealed plans to hold demonstrations in several districts and his son-in-law Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil vowed to take “partnership by force.” “The Christians of the Orient are being eliminated by the sword and they want to eliminate us politically,” Aoun told his supporters in Rabieh on Saturday. “This is why we started preparing for popular movements and demonstrations in the districts of Mount Lebanon, Baabda and Koura,” he said as the delegation from south Lebanon cheered. Aoun, who heads the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, has been recently hinting that his movement is preparing for protests to what he calls attempts by his rivals to end the role of Christians in Lebanon. “We Christians are facing an existential threat because the foxes of Lebanese politics are usurping all the rights and posts of Christians,” he added.
Bou Saab: FPM Committed to Tackling Appointment of Army Chief during Next Cabinet Meeting
Naharnet/July 05/15/Education Minister Elias Bou Saab criticized the adoption of decisions linked to the agricultural sector during the last cabinet session in spite of the absence of Prime Minister Tammam Salam from the meeting, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday. He told the daily: “Decisions cannot be taken in such a manner.” “We will tackle this issue during Thursday’s cabinet session after I had discussed it with Salam during a telephone call on Friday,” he revealed. Furthermore, the minister said that the Kataeb ministers oppose the adoption of a decision if another component of cabinet objects to it. “Salam himself said during the last session that decisions cannot be adopted if one component rejects it,” said Bou Saab. “How can issues be resolved through such an approach?” he asked. He then stated that the Change and Reform ministers are committed to addressing the appointment of a new army commander during Thursday’s government meeting. Free Patriotic Movement ministers backed by their allies Hizbullah and the Tashnag Party have been demanding the discussion of the appointments by the cabinet before any other issue. Bloc chief MP Michel Aoun wants his son-in-law Commando Regiment chief Brigadier General Chamel Roukoz to be appointed army chief. Roukoz’s tenure ends in October 2015 while the term of army commander General Jean Qahwaji expires at the end of September. Aoun denied that he had a personal problem with Qahwaji, but that he had objections to his performance. Although the government has so far failed to discuss the appointments, Aoun said the FPM ministers will not resign from the cabinet.
‘We must not destroy Lebanon over one post’: Amal MP
The Daily Star/July 05, 2015/BEIRUT: Lebanon must not be destroyed because one political party wants to appoint someone to an official position, an Amal Movement MP said Sunday, amid soaring tensions between the group and its ally, the Free Patriotic Movement. “We cannot destroy Lebanon for the sake of a job, and we cannot harm Lebanon’s security for the sake of a political position,” MP Hani Qobeisi said in a ceremony organized by his party Sunday. “This is threatening Lebanon as an entity and a state.”His comments come amidst rising tensions between the different political parties represented in the national unity Cabinet, where FPM-affiliated ministers have vowed to prevent any decision to be approved before the appointment of successors to the country’s top security posts. The party’s chief, MP Michel Aoun, supports his son-in-law and Commando Regiment chief, Brig. Gen. Shaml Roukoz, as a successor to Army commander Jean Kahwagi, whose term expires in September. Although allied with the FPM, the Amal Movement, headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, has taken an opposing stance on the matter. After three Cabinet sessions were cancelled by Prime Minister Tammam Salam in light of the dispute, Berri issued a firm call on the FPM to end the “disruption” and allow the Cabinet to resume its work. “What we are witnessing these days is an attack on Arab and Islamic armies’ capacities, which serves Israel,” Qobeisi said. “In light of such chaos, we cannot disrupt Lebanon over a political position… regardless who is demanding it, be it a friend or a non-friend.” Aoun threatened to take action shortly after the Cabinet, in its first session Thursday in nearly a month, passed a proposal allotting $21 million to help export agricultural and industrial products by sea after land routes on the Syria Jordan border were closed. Accusing the Cabinet of surpassing the president’s powers, Aoun warned that the country was heading for an “explosion,” saying his party was preparing for “popular movements and demonstrations in the districts of Mount Lebanon, Baabda and Koura.”“We cannot threaten to put Lebanon’s destiny on the edge of a sword if this or that does not happen,” Qobeisi continued. “We should all work for a stable situation with a healthy political life in order to safeguard the state’s institutions.”
Hezbollah seen backing Aoun’s street protests
Hussein Dakroub| The Daily Star/July 06/15
BEIRUT: Hezbollah appears to be backing the Free Patriotic Movement’s street protests as MP Michel Aoun prepares to mobilize his supporters this week against the government for refusing to address the issue of military and security appointments, a senior March 8 source said Sunday. The source dismissed as “baseless” media reports that Hezbollah was not happy with Aoun’s escalatory moves against the Cabinet for passing a decree last week before discussing the appointment of senior military and security officers. “These are tendentious rumors aimed at undermining the understanding between Hezbollah and Gen. Michel Aoun,” the source said, referring to the 2006 memorandum of understanding signed by Aoun and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, which eventually turned into a strategic political alliance between the two sides.
“Hezbollah is aware of any steps or decisions taken by Gen. Aoun. These steps are taken in understanding with Hezbollah,” the source said. He added that Aoun’s decision to resort to street protests was based on his vision and analysis of the political situation. According to the source, Aoun had discussed with Hezbollah officials escalatory measures, including street protests, he might take to regain what he terms “Christian rights” in the country’s power-sharing system. “It is Gen. Aoun’s right to take any step for what he sees as the restoration of rights to their real owners,” the source said. Asked whether Aoun’s planned street protests would affect the country’s stability, which Hezbollah has persistently said it is keen on preserving, the source said: “Gen. Aoun’s street protests will be peaceful. The Future Movement’s ministers are pushing Aoun for a bitter choice.” “Prime Minister Tammam Salam, backed by the Future Movement’s ministers, is refusing to include the issue of security appointments on the Cabinet agenda as demanded by the FPM,” the source said. Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, who is close to Salam, rejected Aoun’s resort to street protests, saying all political parties can also mobilize their supporters in the street.
“The threat to take to the street is unacceptable. All parties have supporters to mobilize in the street,” Derbas told MTV Sunday. “Under the circumstances Lebanon is experiencing today, this method cannot be used.” Responding to Aoun’s call to restore “Christian rights,” he said: “Entering the game of ‘where are the Christian rights’ might lead to others to enter the game of ‘where are the rights of other sects.’” Derbas added that the FPM ministers’ objection to the Cabinet agenda was unprecedented. Salam has scheduled a Cabinet meeting for next Thursday despite the conflict that erupted with the FPM’s ministers after the government passed a decree, ignoring the issue of military and security appointments. Aoun threatened to take action shortly after the Cabinet, in its first session last Thursday in nearly a month, passed a proposal allotting $21 million to help export agricultural and industrial products by sea.
The FPM chief said his group has commenced preparations for street protests in Mount and north Lebanon. “The Christians in the Levant are being eliminated by the sword, and some want to eliminate us in politics,” Aoun told supporters from south Lebanon at his Rabieh residence Saturday. “This is why we started preparing for popular movements and demonstrations in the districts of Mount Lebanon, Baabda and Koura,” he added. Asked how far can Aoun go in his planned street protests against the government, Speaker Nabih Berri was quoted as saying by visitors at his Ain al-Tineh residence Sunday night: “Gen. Aoun is the son of the [political] system. I don’t think he will tamper with it.” Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, Aoun’s son-in-law, vowed to defend the Christian right to partnership by force.
“If we are faced with a difficult choice, we will take our right to partnership by force,” Bassil said in a speech during a development meeting in the northern district of Batroun Saturday.
He also pledged to defend the president’s powers inside the Cabinet with “our nails and teeth.” “We are entrusted with the president’s powers. We will defend them with all our strength inside the Cabinet. … We represent the presidency and we will not allow anyone to touch it,” Bassil said. Minister of State for Administrative Development Nabil De Freij said no one can impose his opinion on the prime minister concerning the Cabinet agenda. “The situation is heading for a major explosion if the obstruction of the Cabinet’s work continued as it is happening today,” De Freij from the Future Movement told the Voice of Lebanon radio station.
