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Hariri Cites Hezbollah and Iran in Surprising Resignation

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Hariri Cites Hezbollah and Iran in Surprising Resignation 4 November 5, 2017 News & Analysis Lebanon Hariri cites Hezbollah and Iran in surprising resignation Simon Speakman Cordall ades to impose a reality in Lebanon by force of arms directed at the chests of Syrians and Lebanese,” Tunis Hariri said. “I declare my resignation from ebanese Prime Minister the premiership of the Lebanese Saad Hariri resigned unex- government, with the certainty pectedly on November 4, that the will of the Lebanese is citing Iran’s overarching strong.” ambition within the re- Hariri described threats against Lgion and concerns for his personal his life and the suspicion that he safety. was in danger from a plot like that In a damning address on Saudi- in which his father was assassinat- financed Al Arabiya television, ed in February 2005. He said: “We Hariri slammed Iran, its Lebanese are living in a climate similar to the ally Hezbollah and their activities atmosphere that prevailed before within the region. He accused Teh- the assassination of (his father) ran of fomenting chaos through- martyr Rafik Hariri. I have sensed out the Middle East, saying: “The what is being plotted covertly to evil that Iran spreads in the region target my life.” will backfire on it.” He warned that Further to the very real risk of “Iran’s arms in the region will be drawing rebel fire to within the cut off.” country’s borders, was the po- Hariri had been frustrated in re- litical embarrassment of being in cent months by the growing influ- partnership with Hezbollah, which ence of Hezbollah within Lebanon many of Lebanon’s allies, prin- and disagreements over the fate of cipally Saudi Arabia, the United the 1.5 million Syrian refugees who States and the United Kingdom, fled Lebanon’s war-torn neigh- are fundamentally opposed to. bour. Domestically, pressure for Leba- However, following the defeat non to move closer to Syria had of the Islamic State (ISIS) and for- been growing, with Hariri doing mer al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir little to check the trajectory the al-Sham within Lebanese terri- country appeared to be assuming. tory, pressure was growing from Matters appeared to reach a head Hezbollah and its ally, Lebanese with the visit of three prominent Serious concerns. Saad Hariri (C), who resigned as Lebanon’s prime minister on November 4, arrives President Michel Aoun, to have the Lebanese politicians to a Syrian for a funeral of ten Lebanese soldiers at the Lebanese Defence Ministry in Yarzeh near Beirut, predominantly Sunni Arab refu- trade fair in August. Though Hariri last September. (AP) gees returned to the de-escalation disavowed the move, denying that zones in Syria. it represented government policy, Hezbollah has sent thousands of the pro-Assad ministers contra- of his father. Appointed to lead his father’s fighters to Syria to shore up Syrian dicted him: “We are here in our Much of the family’s real estate Sunni-dominated Future Move- President Bashar Assad’s govern- official ministerial capacities and fortune was founded within Saudi ment in 2005, Hariri was also the ment. The group’s intervention we congratulate the Syrian leader- Arabia, lending additional rele- head of the March 14 Alliance, in Syria is highly controversial in ship… for their victory over hereti- vance to the venue of his resigna- a coalition that pushed for Syria’s Lebanon. cal terrorism,” Industry Minister tion address. Hezbollah was able in past withdrawal from Lebanon after his Hariri said Hezbollah’s policies and Hezbollah official Hussein Hajj Hariri was appointed prime min- father’s assassination. put Lebanon “in the eye of the Hassan was reported as saying by ister in 2016 — he previously held decades to impose a reality Aoun is expected to request storm.” His attacks on Hezbollah Lebanon’s state-run National News the office from November 2009 to in Lebanon by force of arms that Hariri remain in post un- came on the heels of new US sanc- Agency. June 2011 — and had been instru- til a successor is appointed and tions on the group that many fear For Hariri, the stakes were deep- mental in ushering in a period of directed at the chests of charged with forming a govern- will negatively affect the Lebanese ly personal. The Syrian regime, electoral reform and the appoint- Syrians and Lebanese. ment. The Lebanese Constitution economy. along with Hezbollah, are the prin- ment of Aoun as president after a mandates that person be a Sunni “Hezbollah was able in past dec- cipal suspects in the assassination 29-month political stalemate. Saad Hariri Muslim. Saudi-Iranian issues of discord highlighted by Hariri’s resignation Mohammed Alkhereiji In postings on Twitter, Sabhan and aggression must be removed.” described his meeting with Hariri The attacks on Hezbollah came as “long and fruitful” and said after new US sanctions were im- London there were agreements regarding posed on the group. many issues concerning the Leba- “These critical measures will he resignation of Leba- nese people. “What comes is bet- impose new sanctions to crack nese Prime Minister Saad ter, God willing,” Sabhan tweeted down on Hezbollah’s financing Hariri highlighted the es- on October 31. and hold it accountable for its acts sence of the dispute be- Sabhan rapped the Lebanese of death and destruction,” said US tween Saudi Arabia and government for tolerating Hezbol- Representative Ed Royce, chair- TIran, with Riyadh recently pledg- lah’s criticism of the kingdom. He man of the House Foreign Affairs ing to help preserve Lebanon’s earlier said those who cooperate Committee. stability and the latter creating an with Hezbollah must be “pun- atmosphere of intimidation that ished.” Hezbollah will be held ac- led to Hariri’s abrupt resignation. countable for its “war on Saudi Saudi State Minister In a televised broadcast from Arabia” and its exploitation of the Riyadh, Hariri attacked Iran and people of Lebanon, Sabhan said in for Gulf Affairs Hezbollah for meddling in Arab af- comments published by Sky News Thamer al-Sabhan fairs and said: “Iran’s arms in the Arabia. earlier had sharply region will be cut off.” Saudi Arabia was “determined criticised Hezbollah. Hariri’s resignation signals a to stand resolute against Hezbol- new phase for countering the Iran- lah, the satanic militia working to backed Hezbollah and curtailing recruit and train outlaws in the The US House widened the 2015 Iranian influence in Lebanon and party’s strongholds in Lebanon,” US Hezbollah International Fi- Syria. he added. nancing Prevention Act (HIFPA) Saudi State Minister for Gulf “Hezbollah is declaring war and passed a resolution calling on Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan ear- on Saudi Arabia with the Iranian the European Union to classify the lier had sharply criticised Hezbol- weapons and missiles they are group as a terrorist organisation. lah, calling for its “toppling” and launching from Yemen.” Hezbollah has been listed as such promising “astonishing develop- Sabhan accused Hezbollah of by several international entities, ments” during an interview with “manufacturing drugs in Lebanon including the Gulf Cooperation the Lebanese television station and attempting to smuggle them Council and the Arab League. MTV. into Arab countries to destroy the The US State Department earlier Sabhan is a veteran Saudi dip- youth. We must hold this militia offered $12 million in rewards for lomat who has been tasked with accountable as a lesson for oth- information leading to the arrest dealing with some of the king- ers, to guarantee the security and of two Hezbollah operatives. Also, dom’s most pressing international safety of our people. the recent release of al-Qaeda files, particularly issues related to “Hezbollah’s militias are exploit- leader Osama bin Laden’s personal Iranian expansionary activities ing Lebanese ports and airport to documents by the CIA revealed and the Islamic State. carry out terrorist operations as links to Iran and Hezbollah. In 2016, he became the first Sau- well as smuggle terrorists. The documents indicated that di ambassador to Iraq in a quarter “We have an effective treatment Iran offered al-Qaeda operatives century but had to resign his post that can put an end to this ram- “money and arms and everything due to threats on his life for speak- pant tumour and, God willing, we they need and offered them train- ing against Iran-sponsored militias will be able to work for the future ing in Hezbollah camps in Leba- active in Iraq. of our countries and the future of non, in return for striking Ameri- Sabhan met with Hariri in Saudi Two sides of the same coin. Supporters of Lebanon’s Hezbollah Lebanon as well.” can interests in Saudi Arabia.” Arabia last week. Hariri also met movement carry portraits of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah With regards to Hariri’s resigna- with Saudi Crown Prince Moham- Ali Khamenei (L) and Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in a tion, Sabhan gave a cryptic tweet Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf med bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. southern suburb of the capital Beirut. (AFP) saying: “The hands of treachery section editor of The Arab Weekly..
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