Jumblat Says Abiding by Dissociation Policy Difficult amid Circumstances

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat lamented on Friday the Baabda Declaration, stressing that abiding by the dissociation policy is no longer possible.

“Implementing the declaration among the circumstances (the country is passing through) is impossible... We should be patient,” Jumblat said in an interview published in An Nahar newspaper.

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.

Jumblat reiterated that Hizbullah retaliated to the Israeli airstrike that targeted its fighters inside Quneitra in neighboring Syria earlier this month from a zone that is occupied by the Jewish state and an area that is awaiting to be demarcated.

“Hizbullah didn't violate the United Nations Security Council resolution 1701.”

The Druze leader pointed out that the area, which Hizbullah fired its rockets from, is between Lebanon and Syria and is still awaiting to be demarcated.

Jumblat played down any escalation between Israel and Hizbullah. However, he pointed out that the “Israeli craziness and arrogance are unpredictable.”

Violence erupted on Wednesday when Hizbullah fired a salvo of anti-tank missiles at an Israeli military convoy in the occupied Shebaa Farms, killing two soldiers and wounding seven. Israel responded with shelling. A Spanish peacekeeper was killed in the exchange.

Asked Iran played a role in the attack on the Israeli convoy, he stressed that “Israel made a big mistake when it raided Hizbullah's convoy that included an Iranian general.”

Hizbullah declared its attack an act of retaliation for the Israeli airstrike in Quneitra. The strike killed six fighters and an Iranian general. Both Iran and Hizbullah are allies of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

On the performance of the cabinet, Jumblat lauded Prime Minister Tammam Salam's management, expressing his satisfaction over the calm dialogue that the premier is running among ministers.

The cabinet assumes the executive tasks of the president as stated by the constitution until a new head of state is elected.

Concerning the ongoing presidential vacuum, the PSP chief held the Christian leaders responsible for the crisis.

He stressed that Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel and head of the Marada Movement Suleiman Franjieh should agree on a consensual head of state.

Both Aoun and Geagea have announced their candidacies for the presidency. Their differences, in addition to the rivalry between the March 8 and 14 alliances, have left the presidential post vacant.

President Michel Suleiman's term ended in May.

Jumblat told his interviewer that the battle against terrorism is long, urging the state to carry out development projects for impoverished areas.

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