Where Are Ruling Bloc Christians From Doha Accord?

Where Are Ruling Bloc Christians From Doha Accord?

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23/05/2008 What did the Christians in the ruling bloc get from the Doha agreement? And what was the role they played in producing this agreement? Questions and questions are being raised in the Christian community in light of the agreement signed between Lebanese rival leaders on Wednesday, after five days of talks. Indeed, it was clear through all negotiations that preceded the birth of the Doha document that the concentration was on MP Saad Hariri's political position, regardless of his allies who, more or less, abandoned him during the latest Beirut incidents. Member of Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Nabil Nicolas told Al-Manar TV that Hariri's allies didn't actually play any role during the talks. He stressed Hariri's only concern was aimed at preserving the largest parliamentary seats for himself only. Analyst Joseph Abu Fadel agreed with Nicolas and added that those allies turned out to be a burden on Hariri's shoulders. Abu Fadel expected that Hariri, who's nowadays reconsidering his political choices, would give them up. So, Hariri did his best to resolve Beirut's electoral problem in a way that more or less fits him, leaving his Christian allies, mainly the Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces, prisoners of a severe electoral battle in their only stronghold, Bsherri, in north Lebanon. The results were forecasted by observers: Lebanese Forces would not gain more than two parliamentary seats at best. The same also goes for the other Christian figures in the ruling bloc. In this context, Abu Fadel, a Christian, called Carlos Eddeh, Dori Chamoun, Samir Franjieh, and Nayla Moawwad to apologize from Christians, saying that they became out of place and time. A reality that produced international changes has caused the Lebanese allies to abandon each other and the regional and international allies, like Uncle Sam, to do the same. Abu Fadel pointed out that the US tutelage appeared to have given them "muscles of cotton," not real and strong ones. MP Nicolas also said that his bloc had always warned the ruling camp that strength comes from the support of the people, not the outside. Meanwhile, the Doha agreement is believed to have returned to Christians, thanks to the alliance between the Free Patriotic Movement and the national opposition, namely Hezbollah, their right to be properly represented in Parliament as their number has doubled and their seat in Parliament will be determined by Christian votes.