Cracks appear between Hezbollah and Amal amid political setbacks
Shiites allies Hezbollah and the Amal Movement are trying to prove that consensus between them will continue in the new political phase in Lebanon, with Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem saying that “the selection of the new president came after consensus between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.”
Sources informed on the relation between the Shiite duo have however said, in remarks to the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper, that “a crisis confidence is growing” between the two parties regarding the management of the political file.
“Hezbollah is wary of the monopolization of indirect negotiations through Speaker Nabih Berri’s political aide MP Ali Hassan Khalil after the series of setbacks, and it wants to open direct communication channels and intervene where needed in an attempt to make up for its major military and political losses,” the daily said.
Moreover, sources close to the Hezbollah-led camp revealed to Nidaa al-Watan that “after Hezbollah informed the presidential palace of the postponement of its appointment until the next day during the binding parliamentary consultations, it turned out that Ain el-Tineh did not officially request the postponement of the Development and Liberation bloc’s appointment, which pushed Hezbollah to head to the Baabda Palace, especially that the Presidency was not in favor of any postponement.”
“The weak coordination also appeared in a flagrant way in the boycott of the non-binding parliamentary consultations, seeing as Hezbollah was informed of the boycott decision through MP Ali Hassan Khalil,” the newspaper said.
To play a bigger role in political negotiations, Hezbollah is meanwhile “preparing a replacement for Hajj Hussein al-Khalil” and “MPs Ali Fayyad and Hassan Fadlallah are nominated to play a direct role in managing files on behalf of Hezbollah, while the head of Hezbollah’s Coordination and Liaison Unit Wafiq Safa wants to monopolize the direct political role and the management of political files,” the sources told Nidaa al-Watan.
