The Next Fight Will Be Over One Word

The word that the Doha accord completely avoided will be the most contentious issue in the formation of a new government.

Having fun…for now (Photo credit: Reuters)

It’s easy to get lost in the joy and jubilation of normal Lebanese citizens who have all the reasons to be thrilled: Their capital city is back to normal, the glitzy center is back to its old glamor, the summer season will be sizzling and the Baabda palace will be filled as soon as next Monday. Expect a drawn out, nationwide brouhaha of fireworks, festivities and fawnfests . 

But elsewhere, in the deep, secretive world of political strategists, trenches are being dug, alliances are forming and battle plans are being drawn up. At stake is not who will be the next Prime Minister, but whether or not the word “resistance” will be included in the next government’s ministerial statement, a tradition which came with every post-Taef government including that of Mr. Seniora. 

Today, March 14 are planning to change that. The party which no longer believes in the legitimacy of Hezbollah’s resistance doesn’t want any reference to it. Their argument is that the Doha accord never referred to the word “resistance”, but spoke instead of the state’s military and security exclusivity, and of consolidating the state’s authority and sovereignty over its land.

Of course, Hezbollah is not amused. At the heart of their peculiar style of having it both ways is the protection of the Lebanese government’s official approval. The Party of God is gearing up for a big fight. They told Assafir that they will not approve a ministerial statement that would not acknowledge the legitiamcy of the resistance. With a veto power at their hand, it would be interesting to watch how this fight will play out and what kind of creative fudge will eventually emerge