Ahead of Confidence Vote, March 14 Seeks Confrontation

On the eve of the confidence vote, the indictment storm besieges the Lebanese political view. However, the battle lines are clear. As the Secretary General of Hizbullah His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah assured that there will be no strife among the Lebanese especially between the Sunnis and Shiites, US- backed March 14 seeks confrontation.

March 14 coalition announced during the Bristol gathering Sunday an open confrontation with the cabinet and the prime minister, giving PM Najib Mikati the choice between "applying the indictment or to leave".

Mikati: Truth or Power?

The keynote decision in the Bristol statement was the start of the opposition campaign to topple the cabinet on the eve of the session of parliament, which will start Tuesday discussing the cabinet's ministerial statement prior to the vote of confidence.

The March 14 statement upset Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Circles close to him informed "an- Nahar" news paper that he labeled the opposition's stance as a "campaign of libel and false accusations against him."
According to Mikati's circles, "the March 14 coalition forgot that the prime minister has not squandered any of the rights inherent to the premiership from 2005 until now, nor has he dealt lightly with the constitution or the Special Tribunal for Lebanon."

The same circles wondered: "Do they want truth and justice, or power?" According to them, "Mikati remained silent all this while but this does not mean that he will always remain silent in the face of false accusation campaigns." "An- Nahar" added.

March 14 Mobilizes Foreign Parties

In the context, House Speaker Nabih Berri told "as- Safir " that he will run the sessions on the base of the right of every deputy in the expression of his views, within the regulations that prevent confrontation with the other and attacking him.

As- Safir clarified that "it was clear that March 14 preceded parliamentary meetings to discuss the government's policy statement by trying to blackmail Mikati and impose conditions, calling on him - in a threatening and intimidating tone - to announce his explicit commitment to Resolution 1757 on the international tribunal or go."

Perhaps the most dangerous part in the statement is that March 14 went far as to threaten and provoke Arab governments and the international community not to cooperate with the Mikati Cabinet in the absence of commitment to the STL.
A high-ranking March 8 source told "As-Safir" that the majority will not use an escalating tone during the parliamentary sessions, but warned that the majority would respond using the same tone if March 14 MPs raised their rhetoric.
"As-Safir" has learned that Speaker Nabih Berri and Sayyed Nasrallah issued verbal orders to Amal Movement and Hizbullah cadres for the need to remain calm and maintain self-restrain.

Berri to Launch National Dialogue

In parallel, Berri revealed his intention of seeking to re-launch the national dialogue, according to new basis in order to skip the next stage in the light of the issuance of arrest warrants and in light of current events in Syria, stressing that "there is no substitute for dialogue, but crises, and more internal division."

Emphasizing that "Lebanon is today in front of a golden opportunity for understanding and reconciliation between the forces," Berri told "A-Sharek Al Awsat" that some people's bets on the outside have no meaning."
Warning not to make the country enter the game of nations, Berri added that "the timing of indictment's issuance was clearly politicized, and the only goal is to thwart the issuance of the Ministerial Statement of the Government and to put obstacles in its launch," he continued.

Nasrallah Won Battle

Mean while, "Change and Reform bloc" leader General Michel Aoun said on Saturday Sayyed Nasrallah "has won the battle against the tribunal."
"Sayyed Nasrallah has won the battle, because according to his speech, the court will not issue a fair verdict," Aoun told al-Manar television.

"In all cases, if the Lebanese government finds the suspects, then let them be taken into custody," Aoun said,stressing that "a Sunni-Shia conflict will not occur" as the result of the indictment.
Aoun also said that the newly-formed Lebanese cabinet will be granted the vote of confidence next week in parliament

Similarly, Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh commented on the indictment. "We were and are still willing to fight all the tribunals and the entire world, and we stand behind the Resistance because we are doing so out of our conviction," Franjieh said.

Noting that "Hizbullah is strong and does not need strife to prove its existence," Franjieh clarified that "the goals of the STL were known from the beginning," adding that "some parties benefit from sparking a conflict in Lebanon."

For his part, Minister of State Ali Qanso said that Mikati's cabinet does not take orders from "Future" bloc leader Fouad Seniora or anyone else, and rejected the rhetoric of March 14's earlier statement.

"There are frameworks for opposition if Seniora wants to perform his role as an opposition figure," Qanso said, adding that "any opposition that respects civil peace is welcomed."

He also said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is "political par excellence," adding that "it will not reveal the truth and will not achieve justice because it was proven that it wants to punish the Resistance and pressure Lebanon."