"After a final round of negotiations, it became clear to me that some, with their impossible demands, are in no way going to allow the proposed Cabinet lineup to pass," Hariri, a key member of the March 14 majority alliance and leader of Lebanon's Sunni Muslim community, said in a televised statement after meeting with President Michel Suleiman. "I announce to all Lebanese that I informed his Excellency , the president, today that I am unable to form the government."
The Lebanese political system is based on a power-sharing formula involving the Christian, Shiite Muslim, Sunni Muslim and Druze religious communities.
Lebanese President Michell Suleiman must now designate a new prime minister, and Hariri will most likely be re-nominated. In Lebanon the Prime minister should be a Muslim Sunni and Hariri is the leader of the largest parliamentary bloc besides being a key member of the parliament majority .
According to morning reports president Suleiman will start the consultations on Tuesday . All the majority parliamentary blocs have already indicated that Hariri is their choice. Even speaker Nabih Berri told his Hezbollah and his Amal MPs that he intends to re-nominate Hariri as the next prime minister if he decided to step down.
While most March 14 MPs are calling for a government of the majority , Jumblatt told as Safir newspaper: “ I will not be part of any government that is not a Government of National Unity . I will not be participate in any government of one color that is being promoted by some “
"The opposition team doesn't want a government for several reasons, including Iran, the tribunal and tense relations between Syria and the West," said Samir Geagea, leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces party
The big question in Lebanon : Will there be a Doha 2 accord ? Yesterday Qatari prime minister offered to host a new round of talks to resolve the impasse.
Friday
10:20 pm
The number of Americans without health insurance reached 46.3 million in 2008, up from 45.7 million a year earlier, according to figures released Thursday by the US Census Bureau.
10:10 pm VOA : The European Union wants an urgent meeting with Iran to talk about Tehran's controversial nuclear program. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Friday EU officials had contacted Iran's chief nuclear negotiator regarding the country's nuclear program.
9:55pm The US condemned Friday’s rocket attack on Israel from southern Lebanon. "We strongly condemn these attacks, which were in clear violation of the cessation of hostilities called for in UN Resolution 1701," said Assistant US Secretary of State PJ Crowley.
8:42pm Saad Hariri at al- Makased's Iftar: Cabinet formation as the minority sees it, means to comply with its conditions and I refuse to see it from that angle.
8:20pm Jumblatt on Berri's wave length supports a National unity Cabinet based on the 5-10-15 formula.
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08:20 pm The Army Command : An unknown party fired from Qulailah 2 Grad 122mm rockets towards Israel and the Israeli enemy fired back 12 shells 155m each . No casualties were reported and material damages are being assessed
8:15pm General Michel Aoun condemned Hariri’s position as it makes the PM- designate "the absolute ruler".
8:10pm The state-run agency NNA reported that Israel has taken exceptional military measures at the border line with Lebanon after Katyusha rockets were fired on Israel.
8:05pm The Lebanese Army and UNIFIL are searching for hidden rockets in Southern Tyre.
7:32pm The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Kee- moon condemned rockets attack on Israel from Lebanon.
7:05pm President Suleiman followed up the latest developments in the South and confirmed Lebanon's commitment to 1701 UN resolution.
6:30pm The Lebanese Army and UNIFIL found the base used to fire the Katyusha rockets in a grove in Qulaileh.
6:07pm Presidential sources stated that Parliamentary consultations will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday.
6:05pm UNIFIL deployed additional forces in Southern Lebanon following Katyushka rockets and Israeli retaliation.
5:10pm IDF: We hold Lebanon government responsible, Haaretz reported
5:04pm UNIFIL says it did not receive any reports on casualties in Israel or in Lebanon, urging both countries to remain calm
5:00pm Lebanese army : At least 8 Israeli retaliatory artillery shells hit Qulaileh
4:58pm Israeli helicopters are circling over the town of Marwahayn
4:51pm NBN security sources: UNIFIL was notified by Israel that it has stopped shelling southern Lebanon
4:43pm Israeli warplanes fly over the Lebanon-Israel border.
4:31pm MP Saad Hariri headed to Saudi Arabia on private jet
4:30pm UNIFIL has taken security measures along the southern coast
4:22pm Future News: Israel fired more than 10 artillery shells at Qulaileh. Other reports indicated as many as 15 shells landed in Qulaileh
4:20 pm AP: Mourners in New York City are observing a second moment of silence on the eighth anniversary of Sept.11
4:18pm Al-Arabiyya: Missiles fired from Qulaileh landed in Nahariya
4:15pm Al-Manar TV: Israel fired four rockets on the outskirts of Qulaileh in response to the rocket attack from southern Lebanon .
4:11pm AFP: Explosion heard, rocket shrapnel found in northern Israel: witnesses
4:09pm Series of explosions heard in northern Israel, no report of casualties
4:05pm New TV : Israel responded by launching artillery shells at the source of fire in southern Lebanon.
3:45pm Unconfirmed press reports: Three missiles launched from Qulaileh near the southern port city of Tyre landed in Israel.
2:30pm MP Nicolas Fattoush dismissed MP Elie Marouni from "Zahle in the heart" bloc for his “latest misleading positions”. Marouni condemned the decision.
2:05pm President Michel Suleiman met with Defense Minister Elias Murr to discuss the current situation and its ramifications. National security and military issues were also discussed.
1:50pm Former minister Joseph Sarkis: The Lebanese Forces will rename Hariri as PM-Designate and will support the 15-10-5 government formula.
1:00pm The International Atomic Energy Agency has transported powerful radioactive sources, which could have been "vulnerable to malicious acts," from Lebanon to Russia end of last month, the IAEA announced Thursday. The sources comprised 36 Cobalt-60 sources, with a combined activity of 3.500 curies. A single source is powerful enough to kill a person within minutes, if directly exposed, it added. The Cobalt-60 sources were from an irradiator that was once used for an agricultural project 10 years ago
12:45pm The Military Examining Magistrate, Rashid Mezher, referred to Judge Nabil Wehbe the Military prosecutor's charges against the five detainees in the Barouk Network case.
12:08 Khamenei said during Friday prayer that opponents of Iran's regime will be strongly "confronted"
12:pm AP: Iran's new proposal for talks with the West promises wide-ranging negotiations but does not provide details of the country's disputed nuclear program, according to a copy of the document published by an investigative group.
11:21 MP Ahmed Fatfat told New TV: The National unity government project was brought down by the parliamentary minority. Hariri is now stronger than he ever
11:05 MP Ibrahim Kanaan told LBC: Hariri's decision is within constitutional rights . We didn't nominate him the first time and we will not reconsider his nomination .
10:47 Patriarch Sfeir meets US ambassador Michele Sison in Diman
10:38 MP Mashnouq : We will overcome this crisis with courage and vision of Jumblatt and the steadfastness and wisdom of Hariri and they will not succeed in the assassination of the election results
10:17 Moussa told "future news": It is assumed that the parliamentary blocks will meet and nominate whoever they want to form a government , knowing that the majority have deciding vote
10:11 De Freije told "LBC": Hariri stepped down in order to preserve the democratic system in Lebanon and disruption of the government formation is not the work of one person but the entire March 8 team is responsible
09:49 Al Qabas: The presidential Palace tried to speed up the return of Aoun from abroad to resolve the Gebran Bassil impasse
09:28 Sources for Al Awan : Lebanon has entered a new phase of persistent government crisis which could lead to renewed unrest and security problems
09:19 Salim Aoun told "Saut al Mada ": Hariri failed in the task assigned to him and should not be reappointed unless the task has changes since the opposition is insisting on its demands
09:14 Al Anbaa: Jumblatt advised not to think of stepping down because the majority will bring him back to form a government which means he will be back in the same situation
09:11 a source close to Hariri: the majority will not prejudge things and will consider that things are back to square one and thus all previous understandings will reevaluated and will be discussed from A to Z
09:08 Ezzedine repeatedly tried to blame Hezbollah as being equally responsibility for the loss of the money of the investors
08:59 51 wanted people arrested for committing criminal acts
08:56 the car of journalist Jean Aziz was attacked twice during the past 5 days and thelast attack took place last night
08:48 al Anbaa sources: Whatever happens, Saad Rafik Hariri will be the head of the new Government of Lebanon and the next government will be a Government of national unity
08:43 Franjieh: Hariri may mean not giving me a bag for me on the reaction used in his campaign against the opposition and accused of obstruction
08:32 French diplomat : Neither Fouad Siniora nor any other political figure will be returned as PM . Only Saad Hariri will be returned
08:24 Hunein told Voice of Lebanon": The only solution is the Lebanese solution and the Lebanese solution is the constitutional solution and that means the majority must govern
08:16 Kanaan : the road to the Serail will be the same whether the new prime minister-designate is Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora, Najib Mikati, or Abdul-Rahim Murad
08:10 Judge Mirza: The value of Ezzedine’s bankru
