Despite denying the existence of any international “vetoes” against the participation of “Hezbollah” in the new Lebanese cabinet, ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that western warnings were sent to several officials against referring to the “citizens’ right to resist occupations and aggression” in its ministerial statement. The outgoing cabinet’s ministerial statement stipulates the “duty of the state and its efforts to liberate the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills and the Lebanese part of Ghajar through all legitimate means.” It also “affirms the right of Lebanese citizens to resist Israeli occupation and deter aggression and recover occupied territory”. The sources said US and European officials are serious about their warnings, particularly Britain, which already expressed to some Lebanese parties a firm position regarding this matter. Meanwhile, an informed Lebanese source told Asharq Al-Awsat that serious efforts to form the new cabinet would not kick off before Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri returns from his short family vacation to Saudi Arabia. The source said the tense regional situation will be a factor in the government formation, by either hindering or speeding up the process, based on how Lebanese political forces would deal with those regional challenges. It also said it was still too early to speak about a government draft, which Hariri would carry following his return to Beirut early next week. “The PM is keeping a distance from the current disputes that emerged between political forces concerning their ministerial shares. He will use his short vacation to study the proposals he heard while meeting with parliamentary blocs on Monday,” the source said. The same source ruled out that regional problems would halt the lineup of a new government. “On the contrary, those challenges would pressure Lebanese leaderships to speed up the process and set aside their petty calculations for the benefit of Lebanon’s stability,” it added.