March 14 Refuse to Budge as Miqati Holds onto Premiership
The March 14 alliance refused on Monday to budge an inch on toppling the government, while the cabinet considered the attack launched by the supporters of the opposition only served its interests as Prime Minister Najib Miqati insists on carrying out his tasks.
Leadership sources in the March 14 camp told al-Joumhouria newspaper that the March 8 forces are exaggerating Sunday's incidents to divert the people's attention from the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan.
“The battle doesn't bear compromises... Confrontations will continue until the cabinet resigns,” the sources said.
They held Miqati responsible for the deteriorating situation in the country as he insists on holding on to power.
Clashes broke out on Sunday after the funeral of Hasan between mourners and the security forces near the Grand Serail.
Police fired in the air and used tear gas to drive back protesters who tried to storm Miqati's office.
Opposition figures have called for Miqati to resign and his government, which is dominated by pro-Syria parties, to step down.
The opposition has blamed Syrian President Bashar Assad for Friday's car bomb blast, which killed Hassan and several other people in Ashrafiyeh.
They also hold Assad responsible for the 2005 assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a huge blast.
However, ministerial sources told the newspaper that the March 14 camp lost “a very important opportunity as it failed to read the situation well, in particular, the support the cabinet is receiving from the international community.”
The sources pointed out that the attack on the Grand Serail by the opposition's supporters motivated the premier to resume his tasks.
“He will return to the Grand Serail after he returns from Saudi Arabia, where he will perform the Hajj,” sources added.
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