Hezbollah’s role must be nullified

Lebanese prime minister’s resignation reveals extent and intent of the group in doing Iran’s bidding

he sudden resignation last week of Lebanese prime minister Sa’ad Hariri has been a source of endless speculation. Hariri was thinking very clearly and was free to leave Saudi Arabia, as he said on Tuesday, while announcing his plans to return to Beirut soon. Indeed, the historic visit of Maronite Patriarch Bishara Al Rai to Riyadh the same day provided an opportunity for Hariri to meet and talk over recent developments in Lebanon.

Throughout, the former prime minister made it clear that his position was untenable, given the deep and undue influence Iran now holds over Lebanon. Its philosophical and terrorist arm, Hezbollah, from its south Beirut enclave, spreads its influence, money and power into every facet of Lebanese society, holding a stranglehold over the government and its policies.

Hezbollah’s fighters have helped keep Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in power. It has acted as a destabilising force in the region for a long time, giving Iran a reach and influence that allow it to interfere with the sovereignty of other nations.

In essence, the group is nothing more than an Iranian proxy and a source of constant terror in the region that propagates the extremist agenda of Tehran.

Indeed, from Yemen to Lebanon, in Syria and Iraq, the regime in Iran is intent on spreading its dogma at all costs, as our Arab brothers in Yemen can so sadly attest. And across the Gulf too, Tehran is sowing the seeds of sedition, aiding and abetting those who use bomb and bullet to advance their extremist causes.

At every turn as prime minister, Hariri faced the meddling, obstruction and interference of Hezbollah, and the undue influence of Iran on Lebanon’s internal affairs, its governance and its foreign policies. As a man of principle, those were constraints and influences that Hariri would not continue to accept, and his resignation was inevitable.

Quite naturally, during his visit to Riyadh, Patriarch Al Rai echoed the same concerns over the powerful role that Hezbollah occupies in Lebanese life.

“Hariri is returning as fast as possible and I support the reasons for his resignation,” Al Rai was quoted as saying by Al Arabiya television earlier.

By resigning and now deciding to return to Beirut, Hariri has exposed the seditious and capricious nature of Hezbollah and its propagandists.