No Final Decision Yet on Possible Hariri-Jamaa Islamiya Alliance
The final decision on an electoral alliance between MP Saad Hariri and Jamaa Islamiya hasn”t been made yet although the grouping confirmed it has hit a "dead end" with Future Movement.
As Safir newspaper on Wednesday quoted Jamaa sources as saying that Hariri entrusted Premier Fouad Saniora with continuing the dialogue with the grouping.
Jamaa Islamiya”s politburo chief Sheikh Ali Ammar stressed that he would continue to run in the elections, urging his campaign officials to work on the basis that the battle is now a reality, As Safir said.
The grouping”s Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Ibrahim al-Masri told the newspaper that the impasse with Mustaqbal movement was a consequence of Hariri”s insistence on not giving the Jamaa what "it deserved in the electoral alliance."
Al-Akhbar newspaper quoted a Jamaa Islamiya source as saying that its delegation that met with Hariri felt that "things remained as they are because of (Hariri”s) insistence on his old offer under which he can”t give the Jamaa more than one seat in Beirut 3 and a cabinet post in the first government that he could form."
An-Nahar newspaper also said that Mustaqbal was waiting for the Jamaa”s final stance, so as to decide on the movement”s next step. Mustaqbal had postponed announcement of its list in Beirut 3 district in an attempt to reach agreement with Jamaa.