Lebanon again in turmoil after Hariri resigned

Saad Hariri

Lebanese prime minister Saad al-Hariri resigned on Saturday, saying in a televised broadcast from Saudi Darabia thta he sensed a plot to target his life and criticizing Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. 

“We are living in a climate similar to the atmosphere that prevailed before the assassination of  martyr Rafik al-Hariri (his father and former prime minister). I have sensed what is being plotted covertly to target my life,” he said.

In his statement, Hariri said Iran was “losing in its interference in the affairs of the Arab world”, adding that Lebanon would “rise as it had done in the past” and “cut off the hands that wickedly extend into it”.

Hariri became Lebanon’s prime minister late last year after a political deal that also brought Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun to office as the country’s president.

Hariri has visited Saudi Arabia, a political foe of Iran and Hezbollah, twice in the past week, meeting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior officials.

His resignation,I may add to Reuters report, leads the country back to the state of chaos that prevailed prior to the deal by which he became prime minister and Aoun Lebanon's president. That deal was achieved after a stalemate of 29 months during which Lebanon had no president. It was based upon the fact that Hariri, who leads the biggest fraction in the Lebanese parliament, gave his approval to the  alliance that Aoun formed earlier with Hezbollah. His resignation means that this alliance has again been put into question.