Jumblatt calls Hariri for first time since defecting to March 8

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt reportedly called Caretaker PM Saad Hariri, for the first time since he named Najib Miqati as PM-designate last January according al-Hayat newspaper .

Jumblatt reportedly stressed to Hariri the need to return to the national dialogue table.

The conversation reportedly took place few days ago

Hariri reportedly stressed to Jumblatt that he wasn’t the reason behind the standstill in the national dialogue.

This report comes days after Hariri urged his supporters not to target jumblatt in their attacks against the Hezbollah lead March 8 allies . Hariri said ” We will be always indebted to Jumblatt because he is the one who engineered the Cedar Revolution between February 14 and March 14.”

Hariri’s dad , former PM Rafik hariri was assassinated on February 14 , 2005 in downtown Beirut .

March 14, 2005 is the Cedar revolution day when over 1 million Lebanese gathered in down Beirut to protest against the murder of the the late PM and called on Syrian troops to leave Lebanon. The Syrian troops withdrew in April 2005, but the Syrian regime retained its influence through Hezbollah and its March 8 allies

This year also more than one million Lebanese of all faiths demanded that Hezbollah be disarmed as they rallied Sunday March 13, to mark the sixth anniversary the Cedar Revolution, the uprising which inspired the recent revolts in the Middle East, International news agencies reported.

Following the March 13 peaceful rally the PSP website referred to it as half of Lebanon.

“The Half of Lebanon that was in the rally could not be ignored or allowed to be unnoticed despite the slogans and some of the provocative remarks that were made”. The website stated

Jumblatt who was elected by March 14 supporters defected to the Hezbollah led alliance last January