Breaking: Hariri resigns
Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Sa'ad Hariri has resigned after failing to form a cabinet. The culprit in bringing about the resignation is apparently Hezbullah. Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said Thursday he is abandoning efforts to form a new government after the Hizbullah-led parliament minority rejected his list for a national unity cabinet.
Hariri's move takes Lebanon into more political uncertainty, with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman now forced to start consultations with lawmakers from scratch over naming a new premier.
Hariri's step-down comes two days after the militant Hizbullah and its allies rejected his proposed team for the 30-member cabinet.
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Hariri said Thursday the conditions set by the Hizbullah-led bloc sought to undermine the entire election, which his Western-backed coalition had clearly won.
The only thing the rival factions agreed on during the negotiations over the cabinet makeup was a government formula. It gave Hariri's parliament majority 15 seats, the Hizbullah-led minority 10 seats, while Suleiman would pick the remaining five government members, likely from among independent politicians.
Given that Hariri's side won the elections, it is not clear to me why they are insisting on a national unity government. But it is likely an effort to forestall violent opposition by Hezbullah. In other words, Hezbullah continues to prevent Lebanon from functioning as a normal country by using violence and threats of violence.
And it is the Lebanese people who will likely pay the price for their inability to function normally.
Israel Matzav: Breaking: Hariri resigns
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