Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, Mufti of the Lebanese Republic condemned on Tuesday Free patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s criticism of President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati.

“We condemn the verbal attacks against the country’s president, and against the Muslims, especially the Sunnis,” Qabbani was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

“ Aoun’s remarks are not fit for a politician or for any public figure,” the Mufti added.

He said that Aoun “should know that assaulting any sect in Lebanon would be an assault on all of the country’s sects.”

Aoun has repeatedly slammed Suleiman and Mikati and accused them of delaying the formation of a new cabinet.

The Iranian and Syrian backed Hezbollah brought down PM Saad Hariri’s government on January 12 over STL’s imminent indictment which is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the assassination of the father of caretaker PM

Lebanon has been run by a caretaker government since last January. Nagib Mikati was appointed in January as the PM designate with the backing of the new March 8 majority led by Hezbollah. March 14 leaders have repeatedly said that intimidation from Hezbollah’s weapons helped secure the parliamentary majority for Mikati’s nomination.

Disputes over cabinet formation have prevented Mikati from forming the cabinet. Aoun is reportedly demanding a disproportionate share in the cabinet and is being backed by Hezbollah and Syria in his demands . Aoun is also reportedly insisting on being allocated the 2 most sensitive security portfolios : The ministries of Interior and communications and does not want the president to have any share in the cabinet . Aoun is also insisting that the president should not have a share in the cabinet