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Lebanese parliament approves Cabinet | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) – The Lebanese parliament has overwhelmingly approved the national unity Cabinet after a five-day debate on a controversial government policy that upholds Hezbollah’s right to keep its weapons.

The vote was part of a deal reached in May by rival Lebanese factions in Qatar that ended an 18-month political stalemate, Lebanon’s worst crisis since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.

Under the deal, the Syrian-backed opposition got 11 members in the 30-member Cabinet, the Western-backed parliamentary majority got 16, while President Michel Suleiman got three ministers.

Tuesday’s vote in the 128-member assembly passed 100-5 in favor of the Cabinet.

Hezbollah and its opposition allies have veto power on major decisions in the unity government.