Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri yesterday announced that he was putting his resignation on hold to give way for more consultations nearly three weeks after he unexpectedly announced he was stepping down — a stunning reversal and embarrassment to Saudi Arabia, which was widely seen as having orchestrated his resignation.
In surprise conciliatory comments from the presidential palace, al-Hariri said he is putting Lebanon’s interest first and is looking forward to a “real partnership” with Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
He said he presented his resignation to Aoun at the presidential palace, but then responded to Aoun’s request to take more time for consultations, “hoping it will constitute a serious introduction for [national] dialogue.”
Photo: AFP
“Our beloved nation needs in this critical period exceptional efforts from everyone to protect it in the face of dangers and challenges,” al-Hariri said in a statement from the presidential palace.
He reiterated the need for Lebanon to remain neutral on regional disputes and conflicts, “and all that undermines internal stability and brotherly relations with Arab brothers.”
Al-Hariri’s announcement suggests Saudi Arabia’s young crown prince realized he had overreached with the decision to fire the Lebanese prime minister, which constituted another failed move to try and counter Iran.
Al-Hariri’s mysterious televised resignation from Saudi Arabia had sparked a political and diplomatic crisis as Lebanese officials accused the Gulf kingdom, which is feuding with Iran for influence in the region, of forcing the Sunni, Saudi-aligned politician to resign and detaining him for days.
The Lebanese rallied around al-Hariri, unanimously calling for his return from Saudi Arabia in what became an embarrassment to the kingdom.
Posters have been erected around Beirut and other cities welcoming al-Hariri’s return.
The reversal is also a win for French President Emanuel Macron, whose mediation succeeded in getting al-Hariri out of Saudi Arabia to Paris for few days.
He returned to Lebanon on Tuesday night following brief stops in Egypt and Cyprus.
Earlier yesterday, al-Hariri participated in Independence Day celebrations, his first official appearance since his resignation.
His resignation on Nov. 4 was not accepted by Aoun, who said he wanted to hear from the prime minister in person first.
Al-Hariri had cited Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah’s meddling in the region as a reason for his decision to step down, and also cited concerns for his own safety in Lebanon.
Hezbollah is a partner in the coalition government formed by al-Hariri a year ago.
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
HYPOCRISY? The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday asked whether Biden was talking about China or the US when he used the word ‘xenophobic’ US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a hike in steel tariffs on China, accusing Beijing of cheating as he spoke at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Biden accused China of xenophobia, too, in a speech to union members in Pittsburgh. “They’re not competing, they’re cheating. They’re cheating and we’ve seen the damage here in America,” Biden said. Chinese steel companies “don’t need to worry about making a profit because the Chinese government is subsidizing them so heavily,” he said. Biden said he had called for the US Trade Representative to triple the tariff rates for Chinese steel and aluminum if Beijing was
Beijing is continuing to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a report published on Monday, ahead of his planned visit to China this week. The State Department’s annual human rights report, which documents abuses recorded all over the world during the previous calendar year, repeated language from previous years on the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, but the publication raises the issue ahead of delicate talks, including on the war in Ukraine and global trade, between the top U.S. diplomat and Chinese