2/8 – Lebanese PM Forms New Government Including Hezbollah Allies – The Cradle

February 10, 2025 TheMcgwire

2/8 – Lebanese PM Forms New Government Including Hezbollah Allies

Despite interventionist statements from White House officials urging the exclusion of Hezbollah from the government, the Lebanese resistance secured the representation it initially sought

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam officially announced the formation of a new government for Lebanon on 8 February, naming 24 ministers to his cabinet, including five allied with the so-called “Shia duo” of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement….

Salam also stressed his government would “complete the implementation of [UNSC] Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement” with Israel, stressing that Israeli occupation troops must “withdraw to the last inch of Lebanese territory.”

Lebanese officials revealed that the first Cabinet session will be held on Tuesday at Baabda Palace, following the official group photo.

The successful formation of Salam’s government comes one day after US special envoy to West Asia Morgan Ortagus declared during a news conference that Hezbollah would not be a part of the Lebanese government and that its “reign of terror” was “over.”

“We have set clear red lines from the US that they won’t be able to terrorize the Lebanese people, and that includes by being a part of the government,” Ortagus said while alongside Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Despite Washington’s interventionist statements, the country’s new cabinet is split evenly between Christian and Muslim sects, including five ministries headed by allies of Hezbollah and Amal.…

“After all the threats and arrogance, the [Shia duo] entered the government in full partnership. Not a single name has changed after Ortagus’s words, and the duo ultimately approved the appointment of the fifth minister,” Lebanese journalist Hosam Matar said via social media, referring to a reported dispute between Salam and the Shia parties over their representation in government….

Saturday’s cabinet formation also marked the end of the caretaker government of long-serving prime minister Najib Mikati.

Following general elections in 2022, Lebanon was mired in a years-long presidential deadlock. This impasse was broken late last year after the implementation of a one-sided ceasefire deal with Israel. Under heavy US and Gulf pressure, the Lebanese parliament elected former armed forces commander Joseph Aoun as President. He elected former chief judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Nawaf Salam to head the government as Prime Minister.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ The Cradle

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