Omar al-Rassi, “Akhbar al-Yawm” agency

Between the weapon and the Shiite political veto…

A well-informed political source put the meeting of the five-nation group at the headquarters of the Qatari embassy in Beirut, within the framework of the separation between the presidential entitlement and the tensions in the south.

The source said, via the "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency, that yesterday's meeting stressed three basic principles:

First, the source explained that talking about differences and contradictions between its members and the intention of this or that state to withdraw from it and retreat from its role is incorrect, but on the contrary, the five-nation committee is unified and has a vision of the Lebanese situation. Of course, this is in the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese.

Secondly, the source saw that the "five-nation" is continuing its efforts to elect a president of the Republic under the third option, and its meeting at this time is only confirmation that what Hochstein is doing has to do with the borders and stopping the Southern war, and has nothing to do with the presidential file, in the sense that there is a separation between the two files.

Considering that although the five countries are keen on the stability of Lebanon and the non-extension of the war, but its mission within the framework of the ambassadors' committee is exclusively Presidential, the source said that the five-member committee was tasked with the presidential file in light of the vacuum and before the outbreak of the Gaza war, while Hochstein's mission since before the presidential vacuum deals with border demarcation from sea to land.

The same source considered that the rejection of the Axis proposals raises the level of political confrontation to become a confrontation between the "five-nation" and the "Axis" team, so we may return again to the language of sanctions against those who obstruct the achievement of entitlement in Lebanon.

The source said: Hezbollah will not back down, and insists on maintaining its freedom of movement in the south of Litani in exchange for restricting the movement of UNIFIL. In parallel, the party wants to put its hand on the presidency of the Republic, according to the evidence leaked after the meeting of the "moderation" delegation with MP Mohammad Raad that the party wants a president who protects the back of the resistance, and does not want the model of President Michel Sleiman, but President Emile Lahoud.

The source concluded: between the weapon and the Shiite political veto, no internal party can do anything, so we are still in the same circle of disruption.