Crisis in Lebanon as Cabinet walks out
Source: Agencies |
January 13, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LEBANON'S year-old unity government collapsed yesterday after Hezbollah ministers and their allies resigned over tensions stemming from a United Nations-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The tribunal is widely expected to name members of Hezbollah in upcoming indictments, which many fear could re-ignite sectarian tensions that have plagued the country for decades.
"This cabinet has become a burden on the Lebanese, unable to do its work," Energy Minister Jibran Bassil said at a news conference announcing the resignations, flanked by the other ministers who are stepping down. "We are giving a chance for another government to take over."
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, has denounced the tribunal as an "Israeli project" and urged Prime Minister Saad Hariri - the son of the slain politician - to reject any findings by the court even before it announced any indictments.
But the prime minister has refused to break cooperation with the tribunal.
The office of Hariri had no comment on the walkout that brought down his year-old government.
The walkout followed the failure of a diplomatic push by Syria and Saudi Arabia to ease tensions in Lebanon. There had been few details about the direction of the Syrian-Saudi initiative, but the talks were lauded as a potential Arab breakthrough.
Violence has been a major concern as tensions rise in Lebanon, where Shiites, Sunnis and Christians each make up about a third of the country's four million people.
The Netherlands-based tribunal has not said who it will indict, but Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah has said he has information that members of his group will be named.
The tribunal is widely expected to name members of Hezbollah in upcoming indictments, which many fear could re-ignite sectarian tensions that have plagued the country for decades.
"This cabinet has become a burden on the Lebanese, unable to do its work," Energy Minister Jibran Bassil said at a news conference announcing the resignations, flanked by the other ministers who are stepping down. "We are giving a chance for another government to take over."
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, has denounced the tribunal as an "Israeli project" and urged Prime Minister Saad Hariri - the son of the slain politician - to reject any findings by the court even before it announced any indictments.
But the prime minister has refused to break cooperation with the tribunal.
The office of Hariri had no comment on the walkout that brought down his year-old government.
The walkout followed the failure of a diplomatic push by Syria and Saudi Arabia to ease tensions in Lebanon. There had been few details about the direction of the Syrian-Saudi initiative, but the talks were lauded as a potential Arab breakthrough.
Violence has been a major concern as tensions rise in Lebanon, where Shiites, Sunnis and Christians each make up about a third of the country's four million people.
The Netherlands-based tribunal has not said who it will indict, but Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah has said he has information that members of his group will be named.
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