New Government Formed in Lebanon with Hezbollah – Despite US Objections
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by i24 News and Algemeiner Staff
Hezbollah members hold flags marking Resistance and Liberation Day, in Kfar Kila near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, May 25, 2021. Photo: Reuters/Aziz Taher
i24 News – After long days of deliberations, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced on Saturday night that the country had established a new government, the first in years.
Consisting of 24 ministers, the terrorist Hezbollah organization is also part of the government, along with the fellow Shi’ite Amal party.
The former president of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Nawaf Salam, who until a few weeks ago handled the lawsuit there against Israel, will lead the government as prime minister.
During the prolonged discussions, a “trilateral summit” was held in the presence of Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Salam, who was responsible for forming the Lebanese government.
Following the announcement, Aoun signed a dismissal order Saturday for the transitional government led by Najib Mikati.
Earlier this week Morgan Ortegas, the deputy for Steve Witkoff, the US envoy to the Middle East, visited Lebanon. During her visit in Beirut, Ortegas made a statement from Baabdah Presidential Palace, noting the defeat of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the campaign against Israel, and promising that the United States would ensure that it would not be part of the government.
Despite this, among the new ministers are the “Shi’ite Duo” in the Lebanese parliament, the terrorist organization Hezbollah and the Amal movement. Together they have five portfolios: Amal received the Treasury, while Hezbollah received the ministries of Labor and Health.
This new government has been established as IDF troops continue to operate in southern Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure, after extending the timeline to remain beyond the 60 days set in the ceasefire agreement.
A crisis arose after Israel claimed that the Lebanese army was not deploying in the area in accordance with the agreement details, and was resolved after the intervention of the United States, which announced that the ceasefire would extend into February and the parties would negotiate the return of Lebanese prisoners who were captured after October 7, 2023.
