![]() ![]() He emphasized that “we want an acceptable candidate who has the specifications that we do not compromise on, and we see that the country cannot tolerate settlements, and we are not talking today about a settlement but about accepting a candidate. ![]() Hankash said: “There is an insistence that we cannot devote the presidency to Hezbollah.” He also said that name of former Minister Azour was among the names agreed upon by the Free Patriotic Movement. MP Elias Hankash, who is involved in the negotiations, said that the chances of electing a president soon had improved. He, however, praised what he saw as the positive direction achieved so far. The political analyst was cautious about “considering Azour as a final candidate for the Christian blocs, in anticipation of any surprises or changes in positions at the last moment.” The Lebanese media reported that Azour said he “wants to be the president who carries a rescue project for the country with the approval of everyone.” Opposition forces to Hezbollah previously insisted on nominating MP Michel Mouawad, but Hezbollah considered him an “inflammatory candidate.”Ī political analyst stated that Azour did not want to be a “confrontational or challenging candidate.” The presidential vacuum in Lebanon will enter its eighth month on June 1 after 11 parliamentary election sessions failed to enable a presidential candidate to reach the second round of the presidential elections due to a lack of quorum. He called on the other group “to stop wasting time and prolonging the deadline.” Raad said in a statement on Sunday that “the candidate whose name is circulating is a maneuvering candidate whose mission is to confront the candidate we support and to undermine him.” Mohammed Raad, Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc chief, reacted to the possibility of the Christian parliamentary blocs reaching a consensus on Azour as their candidate. Hezbollah and the political coalition allied with it support the nomination of Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Marada Party who is close to the Syrian regime, but most Christian parliamentary blocs in Lebanon reject him. He said: “We thank God for what we hear about some consensus among parliamentary blocs regarding the future president, so that he does not pose a challenge to anyone, and at the same time possesses a personality that responds to Lebanon’s needs today and inspires internal and external confidence.”Īl-Rahi hoped the “chaos occurring at several levels” would also stop soon. Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi made a possible reference to the consensus in his Sunday sermon on the eve of his trip to the Vatican and then to Paris.Īl-Rahi expressed hope that a president of the republic would be elected as soon as possible so that the constitutional institutions could be organized. Moreover, he said that acts which incite conflict, such as demolitions, foster an atmosphere of mistrust and animosity between Palestinians and Israelis, undermining the chances of reaching a political agreement.īEIRUT: News emerged on Sunday that the largest Christian blocs in the Lebanese parliament - the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, and the Lebanese Phalanges Party - were moving toward reaching a consensus on a presidential candidate.Īmong the likely names suggested for the role is former Finance Minister Jihad Azour, 57.Īzour currently serves as the director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund. Last week during the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting in Brussels, Wennesland reiterated that such acts that negatively impact basic service delivery for Palestinians threaten stability and undermine the Palestinian Authority. “I call on Israeli authorities to cease such demolitions and evictions which are illegal under international law, and to approve plans for Palestinian communities to build legally in Area C to address their development needs, including for schools,” the special coordinator added. He underscored the need to respect a child’s right to education. Wennesland stated that 58 schools serving 6,500 children are currently under threat of demolition due to a shortage of building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to get. It has an immediate impact on the education of at least 40 Palestinian children. The demolition was carried out on Sunday following an Israeli court ruling citing safety concerns in response to a petition filed by a settlement organization. LONDON: Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, said on Monday that he was “deeply disturbed” by Israel’s demolition of an EU-funded Palestinian primary school for the children in Jubbet adh Dhib village. ![]()
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