BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Saad al-Hariri on Wednesday shelved his decision to resign as prime minister at the request of President Michel Aoun, easing a crisis that had deepened tensions in the Middle East.

Hariri made his announcement after returning to Beirut for the first time since he quit abruptly on Nov 4 in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia. Top Lebanese officials have said Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom. Riyadh and Hariri deny this.

At the presidential palace near Beirut, Hariri said he hoped his move would lead to “a responsible dialogue... that deals with divisive issues and their repercussions on Lebanon’s relations with Arab brothers”.

Hariri said all Lebanese sides must commit to keeping the country out of regional conflicts, a reference to the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement whose regional military role has greatly alarmed Saudi Arabia.

“I presented today my resignation to President Aoun and he urged me to wait before offering it and to hold onto it for more dialogue about its reasons and political background, and I showed responsiveness,” he said in a televised statement.

The resignation had shocked even Hariri’s aides. He returned to Lebanon late on Tuesday night after French intervention.

Aoun, a political ally of Hezbollah, had refused to accept the resignation because it happened in “mysterious circumstances” abroad. He had called Hariri a hostage in Riyadh.

Hariri appeared to express relief that Aoun had not accepted the resignation straightaway. He thanked the president for respecting constitutional norms and “his rejection of departing from them under any circumstances”.

The resignation took Lebanon to the forefront of the regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which backs Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and raised concerns of a protracted crisis.

Hundreds of Hariri supporters packed the streets near his house in central Beirut, waving the blue flag of his Future Movement political party. The Sunni leader told them he would “stay with (them)... to be a line of defence for Lebanon, Lebanon’s stability and Leb­anon’s Arabism”.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...