Lebanon: Policy Statement Approved

The Daily Star reports that the Lebanese cabinet approved the government’s new policy statement with reservations over an article that implies Hezbollah’s right to resistance. The parliament will debate the statement next week before holding a vote of confidence in the cabinet. Meanwhile, the Secretariat General of the March 14 alliance criticized Hezbollah’s new political policy statement as contrary to the Taif Accord.

Discussing Hezbollah’s new policy statement, Michael Young concludes “nothing in the political document suggests that Hizbullah has altered its outlook when it comes to its relationship with the Lebanese state.”  Young suggests that the fact that Hezbollah felt compelled to issue a new policy document indicates their “surreptitious recognition of the setbacks” in its relationship with the Lebanese state since Syria’s withdrawal. However, Young predicts that Hezbollah’s new document will fail to win over the majority of Lebanese, who remain highly suspicious of Hezbollah’s intentions.