Lebanon's presidential stalemate: Hezbollah's role in thwarting Qatar's initiative

The Amal Movement and Hezbollah, especially the latter, did not hide their determination to thwart the Qatari initiative that was launched days ago, seeking to remove the obstacles placed by them in the way of the presidential election and that had led to the stalling of the French initiative led by presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian.

This article was originally published in and translated from Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan. 

The new obstruction of the Qatari initiative became apparent at the beginning of its launch, with Hezbollah's insistence on the nomination of the president of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, and a more rigid stance on this option.

Simultaneously, Hezbollah and Amal Movement paid no attention to the successive positions of the Maronite Patriarch, Mar Bechara Al-Rahi, who issued statements from Australia, calling for the election of a president without delay.

Regarding the news of the reception of the Qatari envoy, Jassim bin Fahd Al-Thani, by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri last Friday, it is learned that he met in recent days with the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, and the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil.

He also met with the political assistant to the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hajj Hussein al-Khalil, who told the Qatari envoy: "Our presidential choice is Sleiman Frangieh, first, Sleiman Frangieh, second, and Sleiman Frangieh, third."

From the series of statements issued by Hezbollah leaders Sunday, they appear to have returned to a hardline stance regarding the presidency.

Examples of these statements include the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammad Raad: "They want us to attend a parliamentary session only to secure a quorum for them to elect their president."

Furthermore, MP Hassan Fadlallah said, "Sometimes we hear that someone in the Quintet Committee wants a specific person, and there is pressure from the US administration to reject one name and endorse another, but they cannot impose a president."

Additionally, a Member of Hezbollah's Central Council, Sheikh Nabil Qaouq, said, "Lebanon needs a president whom the enemy fears and who does not succumb to American pressure."

On the other hand, Geagea ruled out the possibility of holding presidential elections soon, despite Saudi and Qatari efforts, "because the internal Lebanese obstruction remains."

In Australia, Patriarch Al-Rahi stated, "In Lebanon, taxes and fees are not collected from all citizens, but rather from one region over another, intentionally, out of fear of an excess of power, or neglect. Therefore, only a small portion of public services is provided."

He emphasized that "the Church will not leave Lebanon and its people as victims of imperialism, and it will not remain silent about the deliberate absence of the only Christian president in all the Arab League countries."