Lebanese PM’s decision to delay resignation comes as relief to shaken polity
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s decision on Wednesday to postpone his resignation has provided Lebanon with the chance to maintain political stability, analysts said.
They cited that Hezbollah has shown pragmatism and could even make certain compromises for the sake of maintaining Lebanon’s political unity.
When Saudi TV news channel AlArabiya broadcast a recording of Hariri announcing, in Riyadh on November 4, his decision to step down as prime minister, Lebanon’s one-year-old government was once again plunged into uncertainty.
A year before, on October 31, Michel Aoun was elected Lebanon’s president, officially ending two and a half years of presidential vacuum and political stagnation. The new government established by Hezbollah-backed Aoun and the Saudi-tied Hariri promised to maintain a “national accord,” and de-escalate the political rivalries halting advancements in the country.
Hariri’s resignation announcement three weeks ago was a strong departure from his repeated promises to maintain political unity. His aggressive rhetoric calling for Iran and Hezbollah to step away from regional affairs stirred up widespread rumors that Saudi Arabia had written the speech and forced the prime minister’s resignation.
Despite the unpredictable move, Lebanon’s government responded with overwhelming calls for peace and unity in uncertain times.
In the first of three speeches following the resignation, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged for nationwide “calm and patience until things are clear.” Assuring listeners that “there is nothing to fear,” Nasrallah’s tone diverged considerably from routine rallying cries.
Analysts thus speculate that Hariri’s announcement Wednesday to postpone his resignation has opened an avenue to maintaining internal stability.
“The next few months are going to be quite delicate for Prime Minister Hariri because he’s going to have to maintain consensus with the other Lebanese parties,” Karim Bitar, director of research at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, told Xinhua.
“Hariri is still the official head of the national unity government in Lebanon, which includes Hezbollah. Simultaneously, he will have to make sure that Saudi Arabia’s strategic interests are taken care of,” Bitar added.
In a televised interview filmed in Riyadh a week after his resignation announcement, Hariri indicated that he would possibly rescind his resignation if Hezbollah agreed to stay out of regional affairs, specifically in the conflict in Yemen. “There is a Lebanese group that is carrying out certain actions,” Hariri said, referring to Hezbollah, during the interview with Lebanese channel Future TV. “I will not allow for anyone to launch regional wars on Lebanon for regional gains.”