A hero's welcome: Hariri returns to Lebanon and reneges on resignation
After his disappearing act in Saudi Arabia, the Lebanese PM is back. And his message: he's staying
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri greets his supporters upon his arrival at his home in Beirut (AFP)
BEIRUT - The timing couldn't have been better scripted: after a dramatic fortnight including his shock resignation, in which many saw the hand of Saudi Arabia, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri returned to Lebanon late on Tuesday evening, just in time for the country's independence day.
He had vowed to return for Lebanon's 74th anniversary of its independence from France, and the night before, his private plane landed in Beirut after three days in Paris, a visit to Egypt and a stopover in Cyprus.
'Our beloved country needs exceptional efforts, from everyone, to protect it from risks and challenges'
- Saad Hariri, Lebanese prime minister
Upon arrival, his first gesture was to visit his father’s tomb in central Beirut. Rafik Hariri – also prime minister – was assassinated in a massive car bomb attack in 2005. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon, set up in 2009 at The Hague, has accused four members of Hezbollah of the murder. The party denies all charges.
On Wednesday, independence celebrations started around 8:30am in downtown Beirut. The official guests arrived following the protocol – first the chief of the army, shortly followed by the minister of defence and then Lebanon’s grand trio: Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and the president of the republic, Michel Aoun.
Saad Hariri waves from his balcony in Beirut (MEE/Philippe Pernot)
Both Aoun and Berri greeted Hariri warmly, indicating their desire to maintain national unity at a time when Lebanon is facing exceptional turmoil.
Thousands of Lebanese came to watch the independence day military parade.
“I am very happy that the prime minister came to the ceremony. It is very important to have our three main leaders together once more,” said Bassam, 26, the son of an army official.
“I saw Saad Hariri coming towards the stage, he seemed sad, he looked like there was something wrong, maybe because of all the rumours that have been circulating about him,” he added.
Hariri announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on 4 November.
During his resignation speech he lashed out against the growing influence of Iran and Hezbollah over Lebanon, but Aoun, among others, soon alleged that Riyadh had forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom.
Case of the missing PM
And many Lebanese have questioned whether his resignation decision was forced on him by Saudi Arabia, a country with whom the Hariris have always had a close relationship, in an attempt to increase pressure over Iran, and whether he was ever going to come back.
“War is all around us but today, the Lebanese army showed us that it is getting stronger and stronger,” said Hadi, a soldier who came to watch the parade.
'I am here today because I love Saad Hariri. He is the only peaceful Lebanese politician, the only one that doesn’t have blood on his hands'
-
Mirna
“It is also important that Saad Hariri came back – he is our prime minister and we respect him as such,” he added.
Neither Hariri nor Aoun spoke during the ceremony, but on the eve of independence day, however, Aoun gave a televised speech in which he called upon the international community and Arab countries to respect the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri lands at the Beirut airport on Tuesday night (AFP)
But for some Lebanese, such a request comes too late.
“Unfortunately, Lebanon is not independent, many countries have their hands on our politics,” said Oussama, a charity worker who came from the northern city of Tripoli to participate in the celebrations.
Right after the parade, Aoun and Hariri met in private at the presidential palace in Baabda, just outside of the capital.
And coming out of the meeting, Hariri delivered an unexpected speech, and exactly what his supporters had been waiting for.
“Today I offered my resignation to the president. He asked me to delay it to allow further consultations … I have agreed to his request, hoping that it would provide a serious opportunity for dialogue,” he said.
'He gave us hope. He showed us what independence means. He is the only one who can save our country and protect it'
- Kamal
“Our beloved country needs exceptional efforts, from everyone, to protect it from risks and challenges. At the forefront of these efforts is the need to commit to the disassociation policy from the external wars and struggles … that can harm internal stability and the brotherly relations with the Arab brothers,” he added.
Back in the centre of Beirut, thousands of his supporters were waiting to welcome him home.
“He gave us hope. He showed us what independence means. He is the only one who can save our country and protect it from harmful groups such as Hezbollah and their weapons,” said Kamal, a bank employee who came to offer his support.
Supporters came carrying Lebanese flags but also the blue flags of Hariri’s political party, the Future Movement.
Singing patriotic songs, they chanted Hariri’s name, and carried banners praising the returned prime minister.
The journey continues
At 2pm, Hariri arrived at his home in central Beirut and addressed the cheering crowd.
“We will continue the journey together,” he said smiling, and with a newfound charisma, went to the streets to greet his supporters.
“I am here today because I love Saad Hariri. He is the only peaceful Lebanese politician, the only one that doesn’t have blood on his hands,” said Mirna, an accountant from Beirut, wearing a Hariri T-shirt.
Supporters of Saad Hariri wave the Lebanese flag alongside the Saudi and Future Movement flags as they gather outside his home in Beirut (AFP)
“Today is a unique day because the Lebanese from all backgrounds, Christians and Muslims, are united,” said Issam, a civil engineer who had driven for four hours to come to Beirut to see Hariri.
“I feel very confident today - Hariri is the only person until now who is able to protect Lebanon,” he added.
“We just want to live in peace and have good relations with all Arab countries. If Hezbollah agrees to compromise on its Iranian agenda, Hariri will remain prime minister,” said Nader, another Hariri supporter.
But away from the protests, some Lebanese were still doubtful.
'This is nothing but a show. Hariri – like all the other politicians – never did anything for those people. The economy is collapsing and still the masses are chanting - it’s very sad'
- Maria
“The Sunnis probably needed a moment like this to gather and feel powerful but in the end the crowds are being played,” said Maria, a shop-owner.
“This is nothing but a show. Hariri – like all the other politicians – never did anything for those people. The economy is collapsing and still the masses are chanting - it’s very sad.”
“We still don’t know what is going to happen. How long is he really going to stay for? What if they can’t find a compromise?” asked Toufic, who works in consulting.
The next few days will see Hariri meeting with various Lebanese factions, in search of a new political compromise.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/h...rns-lebanon-and-reneges-resignation-663001646
Lebanon PM Hariri says resignation on hold pending talks
#InsideLebanon
Saad Hariri originally announced his resignation on 4 November from the Saudi capital Riyadh
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri meeting with President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baadba, on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital Beirut (AFP)
MEE and agencies
Wednesday 22 November 2017 10:05 UTC
Last update:
Wednesday 22 November 2017 15:18 UTC
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Wednesday he had accepted a request by the president to suspend the resignation he announced earlier this month pending consultations.
"I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations," Hariri told reporters after meeting President Michel Aoun.
"I agreed to this request."
Hariri later tweeted that Lebanon needs “extensive efforts to protect it in [the] face of danger and challenge. The first effort should be the commitment to avoiding any policy that will cause disruption to the internal stability and the brotherly relations with our Arab brothers.”
إن وطننا الحبيب يحتاج في هذه المرحلة الدقيقة من حياتنا الوطنية إلى جهود استثنائية من الجميع لتحصينه في مواجهة المخاطر والتحديات. وفي مقدمة هذه الجهود، وجوب الالتزام بسياسة النأي بالنفس عن كل ما يسيء إلى الاستقرار الداخلي والعلاقات الأخوية مع الأشقاء العرب.
#بعبدا #عيد_الاستقلال
— Saad Hariri (@saadhariri)
November 22, 2017
Translation: At this delicate moment in time, our dear nation needs exceptional efforts from everyone so that we can protect it and stand strong in the face of danger and challenges.
Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since declaring his resignation as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia.
Hariri's sudden decision to quit on 4 November pitched Lebanon into crisis. Aoun greeted him warmly as he arrived at a military parade, where Hariri took the seat reserved for prime minister.
Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied.
The resignation took even Hariri's aides by surprise. Hariri's return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France.
Supporters of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri wave Future Movement flags as they celebrate his return in Beirut (AFP)
A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world.
The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of regional rivalry between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shia-led Iran, which backs Hezbollah.
Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his "political position" in Beirut. Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut late on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus on the way.
His resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and made Aoun, a political ally of Hezbollah, head of state. Hezbollah, a heavily Shia armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.
In a 12 November interview from Saudi Arabia with a TV station that he owns, Hariri said he would return to Lebanon to confirm his resignation. But he also held out the possibility of withdrawing it if Hezbollah respected Lebanon's policy of staying out of regional conflicts, notably Yemen.
A government minister from the UAE, a close ally of Saudi Arabia, said Lebanon must implement its policy of staying out of Middle East conflicts in order to bring an end to the political crisis.
"The main problem is the selective implementation of [this] principle and the functional Iranian role of Hezbollah outside the Lebanese framework," Anwar Gargash, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, wrote on Twitter.
Hezbollah open for 'dialogue'
Hariri met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on his way back to Beirut on Tuesday. Hariri said he discussed Lebanon's stability and the necessity of keeping the country out of "all regional politics".
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who called for Hariri's return, said on Monday his group was open to "any dialogue and any discussion". Nasrallah also issued his clearest denial yet of any Hezbollah role in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-allied Houthi forces.
If Hariri affirms his resignation, Aoun will consult MPs on their choice for the next prime minister. He is obliged to nominate the candidate with the greatest support. Political sources expect Hariri to be nominated prime minister once again.
Following Hariri's resignation, Saudi Arabia accused the entire Lebanese government - not only Hezbollah - of declaring war against it.
Western governments, including the United States, have struck a different tone, however, affirming their support for Lebanon and the stability of the country, which is hosting 1.5 million Syrian refugees - nearly one in four of the population.
"We stand firmly with Lebanon and will continue supporting your country's efforts to safeguard Lebanon's stability, independence, and sovereignty," US President Donald Trump said in a national day message to his Lebanese counterpart.
In his TV interview, Hariri had warned that Lebanon was at risk of Gulf Arab sanctions because of Hezbollah's regional meddling.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/lebanon-pm-hariri-says-resignation-hold-pending-talks-955786278
