Lebanese political sources revealed that former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri followed an indirect strategy to exclude himself from the race for a new prime minister in Lebanon.
They thought that Hariri’s candid speech to the Lebanese served his personal image on the one hand and restored some hope that the economic situation could improve on the other hand.
These sources, however, emphasized that the hope created by Saad Hariri cannot be translated on the ground in light of a political class controlled by Hezbollah, which totally rejects the French initiative and any aid from the International Monetary Fund. It was interesting to note that Hariri asserted, several times in his speech that the French initiative was the “only opportunity” available to Lebanon.
They also indicated that Hariri, who was speaking to interviewer Marcel Ghanem on MTV channel on Thursday evening, set several conditions for his acceptance of the premiership.
Hariri’s conditions could be said to be impossible to meet in the current circumstances, because he linked his acceptance of the position to returning to the French initiative, meaning forming a non-partisan government. He justified the possibility of his heading such a government, even though he is a politician representing a specific party, by noting that the president is a Maronite politician and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Shia politician, both representing specific political parties. He wondere then the Sunni prime minister cannot be allowed to be a politician, too.
Hariri also indicated that Macron had asked the political factions “to put on hold their political differences for a period of six months” in order to be able to put a stop to the economic collapse in Lebanon.
“Every political group can come up with a problem in order to delay forming the government, but if the political parties really want to stop the collapse and rebuild Beirut, they must follow the French initiative,” he said.
Political observers in Beirut focused on Hariri’s suggestion that Macron’s initiative was the only and fastest way to stop the collapse and rebuild the capital Beirut, and on his fears regarding what is happening today in terms of acquiring arms and engaging in displays of military force.
“What’s the meaning of what is happening today in Baalbek-Hermel? This is the collapse of the state,” Hariri said. “The problem is not a problem with the system, but a problem with the minds. We’re ready to go to extremes in our positions, like what happened when the country was paralyzed for three years to elect President Michel Aoun,” he explained.
Hariri also pointed out that some Sunnis were trying to outbid him in order to find a political spot for themselves, but he asked, “Where is the policy? Tell me what project are these people involved in? What is the alternative?”
Lebanese President Michel Aounis supposed to hold, next Thursday, parliamentary consultations to appoint a new prime minister.
In another context, Hariri pointed out that his relationship with Saudi Arabia could not be shaken, and considered that Gebran Bassil posed a threat to this presidential term because he followed a policy of canceling the other Christian side.
Hariri described the attempts to remove the governor of the Central Bank Riad Salameh as malicious and politically motivated, stressing that he was in favour of keeping Salameh in his position.
In response to a question about whether he holds Salameh responsible for the economic collapse, Hariri said, “I bear responsibility for the 16 years of my rule and for all that disruption that occurred. We have reached a GDP of sixty billion dollars, and I tell you frankly, if there were not all this disruption, our GDP would have easily reached 130 or 150 billion dollars.”
The International Monetary Fund had warned the Lebanese authorities against delaying the implementation of the necessary reforms, and then talks with the Fund stopped after a dispute erupted between Lebanese government officials, bankers and political parties over the huge financial losses incurred by the country.
Hariri was asked: “Do you have any new regional data that would allow you today to determine the direction of the government? And what new developments made you choose this timing of tonight?”
“I do not have any (new) data, and if I’m speaking to you tonight, it is because you have persisted in requesting an interview. I do not have any data, and I don’t think that anyone today has any data,” Hariri replied.
“I say that all the political parties said what they have to say, except for Saad Hariri. Also, what we see today in the country in terms of state of collapse requires us to resort to common sense over any speech that pushes you to positions that it will be difficult to retreat from,” he added.
He pointed out that “Hezbollah and Amal Movement have erected certain barricades and it will be difficult for them to retreat from them.I reject this position because, in the end, we erect these barricades against each other and the Lebanese people. Perhaps I wanted to speak today because after what happened to the French initiative, the country has become exposed to all possibilities of insecurity, instability and economic collapse.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
