Now Lebanon - Aoun angered by changes to Palestinian rights proposal

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said Tuesday following his Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting that the text of the proposal on Palestinian labor rights approved earlier in the day by the parliament differed from the draft approved by the Parliamentary Administration and Justice Commission.

“No one has the right to manipulate the law’s text and reveal changes in the last minute,” he said, calling for integrity in the parliamentary process.

The parliament earlier in the day decided to grant Palestinian refugees in Lebanon the right to free-of-charge work permits and severance payments.

The Change and Reform bloc leader also rejected the practicality of opening a special fund for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), saying that donations cannot arm the army. Numerous Lebanese figures, including Development and Liberation bloc MP Hani Qobeissy, have called for a fund to arm the LAF.

The US Congress earlier in the month blocked $100 million of Washington’s aid to the Lebanese army following the deadly Aadaiseh clashes between the LAF and Israel Defense Forces (IDF), after which President Michel Sleiman said he would work with friendly countries to empower the Lebanese army.

“Our defense strategy must consist of a Resistance and a regular army. That is how poor countries defend themselves against rich ones,” Aoun added.

He slammed criticism against Energy Minister Gebran Bassil—who is also an FPM official—over the handling of electricity and water in the country. Protests have rocked the South and North over water and power cuts in recent weeks, with residents blocking roads.

Aoun called on Interior Ziad Baroud to follow up on his responsibility to manage the Independent Municipal Fund revenues and condemned the government for delaying in giving the interior minister control over the fund. Baroud last month ordered the distribution of the funds 300 billion LL revenues from 2008.

He also reiterated his criticism of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), saying the tribunal was misled by false witnesses.