Shafaq News/ The United States is pressuring top Lebanese officials toprevent Hezbollah or its allies from nominating the country’s next financeminister, five people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Hezbollah, like Lebanon’s other main factions, has long played a role ingovernment formation. Since 2014, the finance ministry has been controlled bythe group’s Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, which jointly holds 30 out of 128seats in Parliament.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, five sources told Reuters that USofficials had conveyed messages to Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam andPresident Joseph Aoun, who was elected in early January with US backing, urgingthem to exclude Hezbollah from the next cabinet.
Three of the sources said Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos,who served as an adviser on Middle Eastern affairs under former US PresidentDonald Trump, was among those delivering the message. The White House and StateDepartment did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment onwhether Washington had taken a position on Hezbollah’s role in the government.
One of the sources said US officials had communicated to Salam thatLebanon had entered a "new phase" and that it was no longeracceptable for Hezbollah and its allies "to enjoy the sameprivileges" as before, including control over "sensitive ministriessuch as finance."
One source close to Hezbollah described "significant Americanpressure on Salam and Aoun to clip the wings of Hezbollah and its allies."Three others with direct knowledge of the issue said allowing Hezbollah or Amalto choose the finance minister could jeopardize Lebanon’s chances of securinginternational funds for reconstruction following last year’s war, during whichIsraeli airstrikes devastated large parts of the country.
Much of the destruction is in Shiite-majority areas where Hezbollah hasstrong support. While the group has called for Arab and internationalassistance to rebuild, sources in Lebanon and the region said that aid hingeson political developments.
A source close to the Saudi royal court said French, Saudi, and USenvoys had informed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the leader of Amal and aHezbollah ally, that international financial assistance—including from SaudiArabia—was contingent on Aoun’s election. The next key step, the sources said,is government formation.
Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, the presidency isreserved for a Maronite Christian, the premiership for a Sunni Muslim, and theparliamentary speaker’s position for a Shiite Muslim. Cabinet positions aresimilarly allocated by sect and political affiliation.
Three of the sources said Washington had no objection to a Shiiteholding the post but opposed Hezbollah or Amal directly appointing theminister.
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