Lebanon's unity cabinet comes under scrutiny

Dubai: After five long months, Lebanon finally formed a unity government late on Monday, but many analysts are doubting whether Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri's cabinet will be equipped to deal with the nation's plethora of divisive problems.

"At last, at last, a government ‘for Lebanon'," read the front-page headline in An Nahar. "A Nobel for patience for Sa'ad Hariri," was the verdict in an opinion column in the Arabic-language daily.

But other papers carried a more cynical tone. "Government of the two trenches," read the front-page headline in the daily Al Akhbar, which is close to the opposition, alluding to the inherent disunity among its members.

Praising the breakthrough, the European Union encouraged the new government "to carry out necessary political and economic reform".

The 30-member line-up includes 15 ministers from Hariri's bloc and 10 from the opposition. The remaining five were appointed by President Michel Sulaiman, and include the key portfolios of interior and defence.

The share-out means that no party will have veto power in the new government and that Sulaiman will play the role of arbiter.

The task at hand now is the formation of a policy statement and to present it to the parliament for a vote of confidence.

Prickly issue

It will undoubtedly address the prickly issue of Hezbollah's arms and the right to resist Israeli aggression, which will likely lead to further clashing of political wills.

After the statement is passed, Sulaiman is likely to visit Syria in a move to redraw the political landscape in Lebanon.

Beirut will likely see a reshuffling of alliances, after four years of political turbulence and the Syria visit will aim to bury the hatchet between the two countries.

Several Hariri allies, including Druze leader Walid Junblatt who has been among Syria's harshest critics since 2005, are expected to visit Damascus to mend fences.