Jumblat Fears Lebanese No Longer Concerned with Presidential Crisis, Urges Accord on 3rd Candidate

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Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat expressed distress over the ongoing presidential stalemate as the Lebanese no longer sense the vacuum at the state's higher post due to the rift between the rival Christians.

He pointed out in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper published on Wednesday that the Lebanese are more concerned with the daily crises.

Jumblat stressed that the controversial presidential deadlock should be resolved in Lebanon, urging the rival Christian parties the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces to choose a third candidate other than Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea.

The Druze leader, however, said that Aley lawmaker Henri Helou remains the Democratic Gathering bloc's candidate for office.

Jumblat expressed belief that Helou represents the line of centrists.

Lebanon has been without a president since May when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of his successor.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps have thwarted the elections.

Aoun is still the candidate of the March 8 camp in the face of Geagea, the nominee of the March 14 forces. The rivalry between the two men has led to a lack of quorum in 16 electoral sessions in parliament, amid a boycott by the MPs of Aoun and Hizbullah.

Asked about the deterioration of the security situation along Lebanon's southern border after Hizbullah's assault on an Israeli convoy in the occupied Shebaa Farms, Jumblat considered Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's response to be adequate.

“We should expect a lot from the Israelis.”

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and seven wounded last week in a Hizbullah attack on a military convoy in the Shebaa Farms.

The attack prompted Israel to shell areas in southern Lebanon in a significant escalation along the volatile border.

Hizbullah said in its claim of responsibility that it targeted several vehicles transporting officers and soldiers with missiles to avenge the Israeli raid on Syria's Quneitra that killed six of its fighters and a top Iranian general.

But Jumblat said he favors that Hizbullah remains a resistance and withdraws from Syria, adding: “My opinion at this point won't change anything as we are too late... the dissociation policy has ended.”

The Baabda Declaration was unanimously adopted during a national dialogue session in June 2012. It calls for Lebanon to disassociate itself from regional crises, most notably the one in Syria.

Concerning the ongoing dialogue between al-Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah, Jumblat hailed the talks, expressing hope that the two parties would reach “practical results that would defuse the sectarian tension.”

Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal representatives held their fifth round of talks under Berri's sponsorship in Ain el-Tineh on Tuesday night.

They issued a terse statement underlining “their rejection of (celebratory) gunfire on all occasions, in all Lebanese regions and under any excuse.”

They also followed up preparations relating to the completion of the security plan in the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Comments 13
Thumb nickjames 04 February 2015, 08:48

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat expressed distress over the ongoing presidential stalemate as the Lebanese no longer sense the vacuum at the state's higher post due to the rift between the rival Christians.

- Jumbo, you politicians have been used to this vacuum for quite some time...

Missing humble 04 February 2015, 10:20

Tomorrow Jumbo will say the opposite.

Thumb nickjames 04 February 2015, 08:49

“My opinion at this point won't change anything as we are too late... the dissociation policy has ended.”

- Has ended? It never started lmao. It was never even implemented.

Missing humble 04 February 2015, 11:40

Ebola, ISIS, nusra, da3esh, boko haram, Butcher, Iran, Israel and the like have a black soul possessed by evil. Evil puts in them evil thoughts and conducts their decisions and bad actions.
Only those who seek peace on earth have goodness.

Default-user-icon roukuz (Guest) 04 February 2015, 09:39

I wonder how you and your 50 aliases are doing as you post from your final resting place dear flamethrower.... RIP Shia Hero

Default-user-icon puppet (Guest) 04 February 2015, 09:39

I respect Mr. Cityboy and Mr. Mowaten equally. I also respect Mr. Junblatt and Mr. Flamethrower. @Southern I also respect you.

Missing humble 04 February 2015, 10:18

If Caporal declares clearly that "Ebola has confiscated the state decision. That Ebola must surrender its weapons. That he is not for Mutelateh. That the Butcher is an assassin. That the best course for Lebanon is Neutrality". Then he will be my candidate.
But he will not, because he is a traitor to the Christians.

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 04 February 2015, 11:19

Mr joumblat , its not up to you to decide for the jiness el 3atel just count your money and next elections let someone else than from joumblat family be at the head of psp to give the example
god bless democracy

Default-user-icon Ed (Guest) 04 February 2015, 12:19

I honestly forgot we didnt even have a president before seeing this article....

Default-user-icon + oua nabka + (Guest) 04 February 2015, 12:24

give the good example mr joumblat and let the head of psp be outside the joumblat family
even though you and your son (joumblat family )have the most votes
god bless democracy

Thumb -phoenix1 04 February 2015, 13:13

ya Jombie, contrary to what you have said, we Lebanese are today ever more concerned with having a president, now more than ever. No one is resigned to sit and watch forever, but we're you seem to be right is where you said that a 3rd candidate should be called in. But then why a 3rd candidate only, why not more, and let the winner win and be sworn in! I name Dimianos Kattar or Ziad Baroud, masalan.

Thumb beiruti 04 February 2015, 16:24

Jumblatt is of course correct. Power abhors a vacuum. The fact that there is no president, whatever powers the President exercised in Lebanon has moved off to other offices, such as that of acting-President Salam, Berri, Nasrallah and a host of pseudo-Ministers in a Cabinet that has long lost its credibility since it exists with the consent of a Parliament that remains seated despite the expiration of its mandate.

Thumb beiruti 04 February 2015, 16:24

Now that the powers of the President have been dispersed to the 4 winds and are in the portfolios of the Ministers and other officers, in order for their to be a President, these who now exercise a portion of Presidential power and prerogatives will have to surrender them. So since when, especially in Lebanon has power been willingly surrendered?? For the sake of what? A Constitution that no one follows? If some Christian Deputies and Ministers are exercising Presidential powers, then the Christian political role is not in crisis and this being the case, the imperative to find a new president is not there.