Ferzli: Alliance with Miqati Strategic Mistake

Hussein Assi

Elie Ferzli to Al-Manar Website: New Majority Fell in The Trap… Alliance with Miqati Was Strategic Mistake Government Will Not Be Allowed to Confront STL is a Blackmail Tool Miqati Pressuring Allies for Compromises Miqati Assigned to Complete Saad Hariri’s Role Former Deputy Speaker in Lebanon Elie Ferzli lashed out at Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and distinguished between him and the government as a whole, which includes parties he said he appreciated and valued. He expressed belief that the trap that was set for the new majority was no other than Najib Miqati. In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar Website, Ferzli said that what was needed at this stage was to wait for the local and the regional circumstances to maturate and then suppressing Hezbollah. He said that Miqati was the appropriate person to guarantee this. NO GOVERNMENT… NO TRIBUNAL! Ferzli said that media reports about the imminent release of the indictment in the assassination case of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri came in the framework of strengthening the role of PM Miqati to pressure his partners in the government vis-a-vis the international tribunal. He said that Miqati was assigned to complete the role that former PM Saad Hariri was supposed to accomplish. Ferzli reminded that the indictment issue was brought back to the political scene in Lebanon right after the formation of the government, as it was absent during the last five months of governmental void. He recalled that he had advised the new majority not to hasten the cabinet formation based on the “no government, no tribunal” equation. “The tribunal has been a blackmail tool and Miqati was designated to blackmail the majority constituents so that they make compromises,” Ferzli said. He ruled out an imminent issuance of the indictment, but said that it could be released gradually, so that it remains an effective blackmail tool in the upcoming stage. “In case it was issued all at once, it will lose its effect, whether supported by proof or not. This does not serve their intention to stir up sedition from time to time.” HEZBOLLAH SHOULD HAVE NOT ENTERED GOVERNMENT On the US embassy’s interference in the details of politics in Lebanon, Ferzli found odd the embassy’s conditions vis-à-vis the government’s policy statement, including assigning a clear article on the STL and Lebanon’s commitment to it. “For me, this raises many questions about the role that PM Miqati in this regard,” Ferzli said. The former deputy PM warned that “there are attempts to confront Hezbollah, without resorting to the streets; a game they fear because they know they know they would lose it..Miqati had postponed the formation of the government because he was waiting for the outcome of the battles in Syria. I think that Miqati knows that the Syria backed resistance cannot be pressures as long as turmoil persists in it.” NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MIQATI AND HARIRI Firzli continued his offensive against Miqati saying his stances regarding the resistance “are not reassuring, as they are not better than former PM Saad Hariri’s. On the contrary, Hariri once said that he was with the resistance and he was speaking outside the White House. It was not before recently that Hariri and his allies started to assail the arms of the resistance.” While noting that “these politicians do not perceive that the Resistance’s arms are bigger than them,” Firzli said “Miqati only sells words. I wish he issues just one assuring statement.” According to Ferzli, “Miqati is seeking to exploit the international community slogan to pressure Hezbollah to make more concessions. “In brief, this is the mission of Miqati at this stage. His sponsors do not want anything more from him right now,” he said. MIQATI… JUST A LAWMAKER! “Miqati’s only a lawmaker, just like the others. He does not enjoy a special status in Triploi. Moreover, if Miqati has a regional sponsor, then this sponsor can fix Miqati’s old alliances. We remember that Miqati was present with Hariri at a recent Dar Al-Fatwa meeting. We also notice that the March 14 game has become crystal clear. In every statement, March 14 points the finger at Hezbollah, Syria, and Syria’s allies, however their arrows always miss Miqati.” Asked about his position from the government as a whole, Ferzli said that “personally, I distinguish between Miqati and the government. I generally support the constituents of the new government, especially that they represent pro-resistance parties. However, the trap is Najib Miqati himself. This is why, this government will not be allowed to confront. If the Americans decided to get involved in a real conflict with the government, then we see Miqati will not be able to stand between the conspiracy and the government that supports the resistance. Today, the Americans are backing Miqati and this illustrated in his positions that often call for flexibility and resilience. Therefore, this constitutes pressure to gain concessions.” STRATEGIC MISTAKE… Ferzli warned against disclosing secrets to Miqati. “He relays every word he hears. Even the names of the Sunni members of parliament who had been candidates during the formation stage of the government, were discussed with the Americans, and I assure this…What is needed from Lebanon today is to wait until the local and regional circumstance become more ripe to suppress Hezbollah, and Miqati is the right person who can secure this stage.” Asked whether he believed that the new majority had fallen in a trap, Ferzli said: “yes, they all fell right into it.” He concluded that what happened was a “strategic mistake tantamount to the mistake of the 2005 quartet alliance. The days to come will prove I’m right, although I hope I am wrong.”

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian