Officials Scramble to Contain Differences on Eve of Hariri Murder Anniversary

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Officials scrambled on Friday to contain the dispute between al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri and Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi that threatened to widen the divide among the parties forming the March 14 alliance a few days before the assassination anniversary of former PM Rafik Hariri.

An Nahar daily said that contacts are underway to contain the differences between Hariri and Rifi, which erupted after the Justice Minister withdrew from a cabinet session on Thursday because the government failed to discuss the possible referral of the trial of former Minister Michel Samaha to the Judicial Council.

After Rifi - a Mustaqbal official - stormed out of the cabinet, Hariri said in a tweet that the minister's move doesn’t represent him, adding “whoever committed a crime will receive a punishment.”

Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas was among the ministers trying to mend fences.

He told An Nahar that the discussion on the decree dealing with Samaha's trial were adjourned for lack of time. Three other issues, which were from outside the cabinet agenda, were time consuming, said Derbas.

Premier Tammam Salam told Rifi that the decree will be discussed at another session, he added.

The rift between Hariri and Rifi came weeks after disagreements emerged between the Mustaqbal chief and the Lebanese Forces - another party that is a member of the March 14 alliance - over the presidential crisis.

LF chief Samir Geagea endorsed his long-time rival Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun after Hariri announced his backing for Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh.

Both Aoun and Franjieh are members of the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance.

The widening gap between the members of the March 14 alliance comes as Hariri is scheduled to make a speech on Sunday on the anniversary of the assassination of his father Rafik Hariri.

Hariri was killed in a bombing on the Beirut seafront on Feb. 14, 2005.

Saad Hariri's speech that will be aired through a screen at the ceremony, which will be held in BIEL, is expected to focus on the political developments in Lebanon and Syria.

But it is not clear if Hariri will officially endorse the candidacy of Franjieh.

G.K.

D.A.

Comments 3
Missing humble 12 February 2016, 10:05

Very honorable person.

Missing humble 12 February 2016, 10:11

Geagea made a Historical mistake. Caporal will continue supporting the weapons of Ebola.

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 12 February 2016, 17:12

and yet the filthy sectarian iranians call mostaqbal salafis