Report: Nasrallah to Jumblatt “Forget Election Results or Forget Cabinet Formation”
Sada al-Balad newspaper quoted a source close to the majority as saying that Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah “clearly” told Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt during their meeting on Friday that the majority should “forget about the outcome of the parliamentary elections,” which reinstated the March 14 alliance as the majority, “and work toward forming a partnership government that fulfills the demands of the opposition, otherwise no cabinet would be formed.”
Nasrallah stressed that the opposition retains the “popular majority,” the source said, adding that his “negative response” came after Jumblatt’s attempts to coax Nasrallah into taking a position that acknowledges the election results in order to facilitate Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s mission to form a new cabinet.
“Jumblatt insists on continuing his conciliatory effort,” said the source, adding that Jumblatt will be meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri upon the latter’s return from the UAE and with Nasrallah “whenever necessary.”
A source also told Al-Hayat newspaper in its Tuesday edition that Jumblatt informed Nasrallah of PM-designate Hariri’s concessions, adding that the latter was “flexible” and granted the opposition important ministerial portfolios, thus, the gesture should be reciprocated.
The source added that Nasrallah expressed his readiness to help Hariri in his mission to form a new government, while Jumblatt stressed that he will maintain his alliance with Hariri.