Protesters holding a Lebanese flag during the tenth day of a protest to force the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, in Beirut on Sunday. (AP)
A solution to the political crisis in Lebanon appeared close Sunday after the opposition and coalition majority announced their willingness to discuss a compromise proposed by the Arab League. Mustafa Ismail, envoy to the Arab League secretary general and foreign affairs adviser to the Sudanese president, is expected to arrive in Lebanon on Monday to promote the plan. In an interview Sunday night to Al-Arabiyah television, Ismail said that both sides had expressed their willingness to discuss the proposal.
Under the proposal, the number of Lebanese cabinet ministers would increase to 30. Of these, 19 would represent the parliamentary majority and 10 would come from opposition parties. The remaining minister would be proposed by the opposition and be subject to majority approval. In addition, the new cabinet would approve the creation of an international court to deal with the murder of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The Arab League proposal does not entail replacing President Emile Lahoud, who does not have majority parliamentary support.
Ismail said Sunday that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was expected to summon the parties to discuss the terms of the proposal. The Arab League envoy said all parties were willing to stop their street protests. "Hassan Nasrallah informed me that he is not interested in a revolution or in changing the current regime," Ismail said. He added that the Hezbollah leader would be willing to accept Prime Minister Fouad Siniora as the head of a unity government.
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The Arab League proposal does not contradict a Lebanese Christian initiative according to which the Christians would decide Lahoud's fate.
Sunday's surprising development came on the heels of a huge opposition rally in the center of Beirut, during which speakers predicted Siniora's imminent resignation and threatened to establish a shadow government if he was prevented from stepping down. Christian leader General Michel Aoun declared Sunday that if a solution satisfactory to the opposition was not found, it would declare the creation of an alternate government that would take action toward holding new elections.
Some 20,000 security forces were deployed against the demonstrators, particularly around the prime minister's office. Barbed wire was laid down to keep the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators from overrunning Siniora's offices.
Aoun hinted that the demonstrators' patience was running out. "Barbed wire fences will not protect the government offices when the people expand naturally," he warned.
Shi'ite supporters of Hezbollah and Amal and Christian supporters of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement at the demonstration called for Siniora's immediate resignation. One poster featured a picture of the prime minister kissing U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the cheek and the words, "Thanks, Condi."
Last week, Nasrallah accused Siniora of collaborating with Israel and the U.S. against Hezbollah. Hezbollah deputy secretary general Sheikh Naim Qassim said his organization did not want to rule Lebanon alone. "We want to participate, we are extending our hands ... we must join hands to defeat those who seek to destroy Lebanon," he told the demonstrators
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