Triangulation

Hassan Nassrallah has finally called the bereaved Ex-President Gemayel and gave him his condolences. The men who both lost sons to violence apparently exchanged warm words. But what about Aoun?

Gemayel has accepted Hezbollah’s overture, but, according to the Tayyar’s website, he is consistently ignoring Aoun’s calls. In fact, Gemayel is actively and publicly reproaching Aoun.

Yesterday for instance, Gemayel said (I’m paraphrasing): It is very unnatural that Aoun Allies himself with parties like the Syrian Nationalist Party and the Baath, who do not believe in the sovereignty and finality of Lebanon, and that he is giving a Christian cover to people who do not deserve it.

Remember in the mass funeral, Gemayel also singled out the Aounists and asked them to join the independence movement and remove President Lahhoud.

Gmayyel’s accepting Nassrallah’s overtures and rejecting Aoun’s has an inherent paradox: Aoun’s supporters are sincerely sorry for Gemayel’s death, whereas Nassrallah’s are constantly reminded on Al-manar how the Gemayels were allied with the Israelis and how they massacred Palestinians.

Perhaps Gemayel dosen’t mind a congruent enemy who is engaged in protocol niceties. What he really seems to mind, is what he perceives as a natural friend who is backstabbing him by protecting the assassins.