Hezbollah Low-Key as New PM Forms Government - Scarlett Haddad
▻http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/04/hezbollah-silence-salam-appointment-lebanon.html
The data in Hezbollah’s possession allows the party to assume that a compromise is imminent between Russia, Iran and countries within the same circle of influence on the one hand, and the US and its allies on the other. This compromise should materialize during the summit to be held on June 1, between US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Each side seeks to play its trump card in the anticipated negotiations. However, according to Hezbollah’s sources, should one of the two camps believe it would be at a disadvantage, the summit may very well be postponed.
Nevertheless, until this major event takes place — if it does as scheduled — Lebanon is going through a sort of limbo, where no important decision has been made. It is in this spirit that Hezbollah has chosen to support the candidacy of Salam for the presidency of the new government, without giving up on all its requirements regarding the formation of the government. Moreover, Hezbollah also wanted to make a goodwill gesture, especially with regard to Saudi Arabia. The party considered that Saudi Arabia has already made the first step by choosing Salam, who is believed to be a moderate figure.
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Moreover, the March 14 coalition could also give new instructions to the army so as to marginalize its role, with the aim of requiring the deployment of international forces (maybe the UNIFIL after changing its mandate) along the border with Syria. In the same vein, Lebanon’s foreign policy would become favorable to the Syrian opposition, as desired by the March 14 coalition which continues to criticize the current foreign minister, accusing him of being the ambassador of the Syrian regime.
This scenario may seem overstated, but Hezbollah prefers to think of the worst instead of being taken completely off guard.