Naharnet

Berri Contacts Meshaal, May Call Parliament to Session 'to Take Stand of Solidarity with Gaza'

Speaker Nabih Berri contacted during the past two days Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal to condemn the Israeli assault against the Gaza Strip, revealed An Nahar daily on Saturday.

It added that the speaker may call parliament to session, should the Israeli aggression continue, “in order to take a stand of solidarity with the Palestinian people.”

His circles told the daily that this step stems from Lebanon's position and “its closeness to the Palestinian developments.”

“This step is not aimed at cornering the March 14 camp that has taken the decision to boycott Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government,” they explained.

An Nahar reported however that should Berri go through with his plan, the March 14-led opposition may indeed feel cornered “seeing as it has not yet taken a decision on whether it will take part in the parliament session, scheduled for November 27, on the occasion of Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's visit to Lebanon.”

The daily revealed that the opposition is still holding consultations with its various to settle the debate on whether it will take part in that session.

It had announced its boycott of government-linked activity, including parliament sessions and the national dialogue, in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan.

He was killed in a massive car bomb in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district on October 19.

The opposition accused Syria of being behind the crime and blamed the government, which is comprised of mainly pro-Syria allies, of covering up for the criminals.

Israel launched a bruising air, naval and artillery offensive on the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the most intense assault on the Palestinian territory in four years.

The operation was launched with the assassination of Hamas' top military commander, followed by an onslaught of airstrikes and shelling by tanks and naval gunboats.


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