Cabinet suspends Hezbollah NGO, keeps army report on disarmament confidential

Cabinet on Monday decided to keep the army's report on its arms monopoly plan confidential and to keep receiving monthly reporte, as it suspended the license of the Hezbollah-linked Rissalat art association pending the end of investigations over its role in the illumination of the Raouche Rock with images of slain leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.

Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said the suspension idea came from Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The minister had requested that the association's license be revoked.

"The atmosphere is positive in the cabinet session and a solution is likely in light of the closed-door meeting that was held between President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam," Al-Jadeed TV had reported, referring to the issue of the association.

"The license of the Rissalat association will not be terminated in the session and things will be left to the interior minister, pending the judicial measures against the violators," Al-Jadded added.

According to local newspapers, Justice Minister Adel Nassar was expected to explain the measures that have been taken by the public prosecution regarding the Hezbollah event.

The association had obtained a permission for the Raouche rally but not for the rock’s illumination. It was also told that the number of participants should not exceed 500, a condition that was also not honored.

A Hezbollah representative confirmed to AFP that the organizers had only requested permission for the gathering. He said it was unclear which agency had authority to give permission for the light show on the rock and that they considered it was covered by "freedom of expression" under Lebanon's constitution.

Amid expectations that Monday’s session would witness a heated debate over the issue, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah had hoped the government “will not make a mistake and take a decision to withdraw the license” of the association.

“Perhaps we will organize all our ceremonies in the future under the name of Rissalat,” Fadlallah added, warning that “through confrontation, no one can take anything from Hezbollah.”

According to al-Akhbar newspaper, the past hours had witnessed political contacts aimed at preventing any major clash in cabinet, with some mediators pressing Salam to reach a “compromise” over the issue of the association.

“At the start of the session, President (Joseph) Aoun might ask for postponing the two aforementioned clauses until the end of the session, in order to pass the clause related to the army’s report, seeing as Army chief Rodolphe Haykal and a team of specialized officers will present the first report on the implementation of the plan that was agreed on September 5,” the daily said.

TV networks later reported that the discussions did start with the army report and that the two Raouche Rock-related clauses were pushed to the last part of the session.

"Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal talked during his presentation of the monthly report on disarmament about the Israeli violations and the obstacles facing the army from the Israeli side, and also about cooperation between the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL," LBCI television said.