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Resignation or not?
Lebanon’s prime minister Saad Al-Hariri set the region on edge in early November by unexpectedly announcing his resignation during a visit to Saudi Arabia.
The reasons cited were Iran’s growing regional influence and fears of assassination. Saad’s father Rafik, who also served as prime minister, was killed in a targeted bombing in 2005.
Al-Hariri Jr. was expected to formally hand in his resignation on November 22 - Lebanon’s Independence Day. Instead, he announced he would postpone his decision to step down.
The implications
Saad al-Hariri who suspended his decision to resign as prime minister is seen from a window at his home in Beirut, Lebanon November 22, 2017.
Why is the Lebanese prime minister’s resignation a big deal?
Because, say analysts, Saudi Arabia had a hand in pushing him to do it. The Saudi Kingdom and Iran are vying for control of the Middle East and according to pundits, Saudi Prince Mohamed Bin Salman was trying, via Hariri, to wield influence over Lebanon, an Iranian stronghold via Iran-proxy Hezbollah.
Is Saudi Arabia upset over this backtracking?
Reportedly not.
Saudi Arabia’s Prince wants guarantees from Hezbollah and Iran that no more missiles will be fired at the kingdom.
On the same day that Hariri announced he was calling it quits, a ballistic missile was launched from Yemen towards Riyadh. The missile was intercepted but the intended warning was clear.
The guarantees bin Salman wants is through brokered mediation. If Hariri steps down it will further weaken Lebanon and open the country to possible chaos and conflict.
What happens now?
Negotiations. France and Egypt are working behind the scenes on mediation efforts. That doesn’t mean, however, that Iran and Saudi Arabia are on good terms.
The two countries continue to compete for regional influence along religious, economic and political lines.
But the crisis situation of the past weeks threatening to plunge Lebanon into turmoil seems to have abated for now.
(CGTN)
