Jumblat Suspends Participation in Strategic Committee
Progressive Socialist Party Leader and Democratic Gathering Head MP Walid Jumblat has suspended his participation at the Strategic Defense Committee.
This committee, created by national dialogue participants, is working on studying defense strategy options for Lebanon.
According to the daily al-Nahar on Sunday, Jumblat”s representative at the committee, Sharif Fayyad, will no longer participate in committee meetings.
Sources from the Democratic Gathering told al-Nahar that this development is in response to Defense Minister Elias Murr.
Last Monday Cabinet discussed the sensitive issue of government wiretapping during which Murr criticized the role and delegation of Col. Daniel Faris to the Ministry of Telecommunications.
"Following the meeting Minister Murr defended the delegation of Col. Faris," Democratic Gathering sources told al-Nahar.
Sources added that more political clarity is required in order to better understand what goes on inside the military and defense institutions.