Hariri on way to Lebanon after strange resignation
PARIS: Lebanon’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, said he would return home in the coming days to declare a political stance for the first time since making a strange resignation announcement from Saudi Arabia that unleashed fears of a crisis in Lebanon.
On Saturday, Hariri and his family met French President Emmanuel Macron, who invited the Lebanese leader to Paris to dispel fears that he was being held in Saudi Arabia against his will. Macron is seeking to calm tensions and avert a proxy conflict between Saudi-backed and Iranian-backed camps in Lebanon.
Hariri’s appearance in Paris – looking relaxed with his wife and older son on the steps of the Elysee Palace with the French presidential couple – contrasted with his limited-access, carefully choreographed appearances from Saudi Arabia.
Hariri told Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Saturday that he would take part in Independence Day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday.
After his meeting with Macron, Hariri said: “God willing, I will attend Independence Day in Lebanon and will declare my political stance from Lebanon and after meeting President Michel Aoun.
“I have resigned and we will talk about this matter in Lebanon,” Hariri said after thanking Macron, who “expressed pure friendship toward me that I will never forget”.
The Independence Day ceremony is usually headed by the president, prime minister and parliament speaker, and Hariri’s presence could help calm uncertainties that have escalated since his strange and surprising resignation announcement on November 4 from Saudi Arabia. However, Hariri’s political status is murky. Lebanon’s president refused to accept Hariri’s resignation, accusing the Saudis of holding him against his will.
A high official in Macron’s office said Hariri’s place is first in Beirut, “the only place where he can hand his resignation to the Lebanese head of state”.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, found it normal that Hariri would keep any announcement about his political stance for his fellow citizens. Before leaving Riyadh, Hariri dismissed as “rumours” reports about his alleged detention in the kingdom.
In his November 4 televised resignation, Hariri had cited Iran and Hezbollah for meddling in Arab countries, particularly Saudi Arabia. He also said he was afraid for his life.
President Donald Trump on Saturday spoke with Macron about the situation in Lebanon and Syria, and both agreed on the need to work with allies to counter Hezbollah and Iran’s “destabilising activities in the region”, the White House said.
Saudi Arabia on Saturday asked its citizens for the second time in less than two weeks to leave Lebanon “as soon as possible” given the “circumstances” there. That raised fears of more punitive actions to come.
The French presidential official said it was essential that Lebanon be protected from “negative” foreign influences because the country needed stability.
The official didn’t name any specific nations but said Lebanon should be protected from the “dangers that regional crises can pose to it”.
The Arab League was to hold a meeting in Cairo yesterday at Saudi Arabia’s urging where the Lebanon crisis and Iran’s role in the region were expected to be discussed.