Report: Nasrallah ‘Dissatisfied’ with Bassil’s Govt. 'Initiative'
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has reportedly been “not too pleased” with an initiative made by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil regarding the government formation, al-Liwaa daily reported on Saturday.
Nasrallah has reportedly described Bassil’s initiative as an “invention,” and expressed his “surprise at the way his ally used the government file; especially when he tried to sneak the name of Jawad Adra in accordance with Hariri; which caused embarrassment to all and prompted Nasrallah to blame (General Security chief Abbas) Ibrahim on the way he managed the file,” the daily quoted unnamed sources.
It added that “Hizbullah does not seem optimistic about the government formation,” pointing to some attempts “aiming to prolong the government impasse further.”
According to a senior Hizbullah source, “circles of the March 8 alliance expect Nasrallah to clearly define our position on everything going on in the government.”
He added that "President (Michel) Aoun is not in a position to allow (Prime Minister-designate Saad) Hariri and the rest of the parties to continue procrastinating in the formation of the government.”
26 January 2019, 14:56
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During their last face to face Nasrallah charged Bassil with derailing Aoun's blocking third minister by any means necessary, floating the 32 and 36 ministers formulas. This was not just a suggestion more like an order. But not even Bassil could convince Aoun to let go of his blocking third. The girls in Baabda support their dad's position. Moreover Nasrallah's 32 and 36 formulas weren't gonna fly. They were flatly refused by Hariri, most of the other blocks and by some powerful members of Bassil's own block. Nasrallah believed that with what he thought were his 71 seats in Parliament he can dictate his terms. He forgot that many if not most of the Lebanon Strong block portion of these 71 will do what Aoun tells them. So now the stalemate is between Aoun who's insisting on a blocking third and Nasrallah who's using his Sunni allies and Berri to block it. Bassil is stuck in the middle. He's a nothing without his father-in-law and he cannot become president without Nasrallah's backing.
