Hariri's government wins vote of confidence

Dec 10, 2009, 22:54 GMT

Beirut - Lebanon's prime Minister Saad Hariri and his 30-member government late Thursday won the Parliament's vote of confidence with 122 votes out of the 128-member body.

According to a Parliament source, four members of Parliament were absent, one abstained and another withheld his confidence.

The Hezbollah parliamentary bloc, which has two ministers in Hariri's government, gave its confidence vote to the new government, despite reservations from members loyal to Hariri's block on the issue of Hezbollah weapons.

The issue is addressed in Article 6 of the cabinet's policy statement, stating that Hezbollah militia can keep their arms until all Lebanese territories occupied by Israel are returned.

Hariri's Cabinet received a record number of votes, as it comprises the country's major political parties under the umbrella of consensus and partnership.

The three-day confidence debate focused on several issues facing the Cabinet in the future. The new government is expected by observers to remain in office until the next round of parliamentary polls in 2013.

The thorniest issues included the policy statement's endorsement of the right of the resistance (Hezbollah); the liberation of occupied territories; and the emerging debate over the issue of abolishing political sectarianism.

The International community,especially the United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. UN resolution 1701 which ended the 33-day war between Lebanon militia and Israel in 2006 has called for the disarming of all militias in Lebanon including Hezbollah, but Hezbollah has insisted on maintaining their arsenal to protect Lebanon from any possible future Israeli aggression.