Jumblat Bitter over Berri”s Failure to Soften Allies Stances
Druze leader Walid Jumblat is annoyed at the stubbornness of certain political leaders, particularly Speaker Nabih Berri who failed to convince his allies in the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition of the need to soften their stances vis-à-vis formation of a new government.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing parliamentary sources quoting March 8 officials, said Hizbullah could have tried to persuade its ally, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel to change his stance and be more humble in his demands, rather than insisting on impossible-to-meet demands.
The sources said Jumblat has launched an attempt to reshuffle the political cards, thinking that political circumstances were ripe for the establishment of a centrist political bloc that does not distinguish between the Opposition and the majority March 14 forces.
They said Jumblat distant himself from his Christian allies in the March 14 coalition without prior warning and nearly entered into a political clash with his strategic ally Saad Hariri before realizing the situation he was in and correcting the misunderstanding that surfaced during his "explosive" Aug. 2 speech before the general assembly of his Progressive Socialist Party.
The sources said Berri took positive signals launched by Jumblat, but failed to succeed in persuading his ally, Hizbullah, from taking a similar position.
The sources added that Berri”s insistence on silence does not allow him to fully adopt Aoun”s demands, especially since this adoption came before entering a dispute with Hariri that was followed by a declaration that he was stepping down as prime minister-designate.