Saad Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rescinds His Resignation

Saad Hariri, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, rescinded his resignation on Tuesday, December 5, thus ending a month-long political crisis in the country that began last month with his resignation announcement from Saudi Arabia and weeks of staying outside Lebanon. According to Reuters, Hariri's coalition government, which includes the Hezbollah group, emphasized the country's overall policy of non-interference in the crises of Arab countries. Saudi Arabia, a supporter and regional ally of Saad Hariri, has accused Hezbollah of being an Iranian agent interfering in Middle Eastern wars. Hariri's resignation turned Lebanese politics into another arena of competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have also confronted each other in other countries, including Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Lebanese officials stated that Saudi Arabia had forced Saad Hariri to resign, and he was under house arrest until French government intervention led to his return. Saad Hariri has denied these claims. Michel Aoun, the President of Lebanon and an ally of Hezbollah, refused to accept Hariri's resignation while he was outside Lebanon. Saudi Arabia's sensitivities regarding Iranian and Hezbollah influence in other Arab countries are seen as the main cause of the Lebanese crisis, which raised serious concerns about the economic and political stability of the country. The policy of 'non-interference' was declared in 2012 to keep the unstable Beirut government away from regional crises, particularly the Syrian civil war. Despite this official policy, Hezbollah intervened in the Syrian civil war, sending thousands of its fighters to support Bashar al-Assad's government. In the first cabinet meeting of Lebanon after Saad Hariri's resignation, the country's commitment to the 'non-interference' policy was reiterated. Saad Hariri stated, 'All the forces forming the government have decided to refrain from interfering in the wars, crises, and internal affairs of other Arab countries to maintain Lebanon's economic stability and political relations.' He further added, 'The cabinet thanks the head of the government for rescinding his resignation.' In Lebanon, with a long history of war among rival ethnic and political groups, the political system is structured to include all groups. Saad Hariri, a wealthy Sunni businessman with close economic and political ties to Saudi Arabia, accused Iran of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries when he announced his resignation in Riyadh, stating that he would not return to Lebanon due to concerns for his life and that of his family. His father, Rafik Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, was assassinated in 2005. In his remarks at the cabinet meeting, Saad Hariri warned that regional tensions could easily lead Lebanon down a dangerous path, and the issue that caused the recent crisis cannot be ignored. He added, 'Regional developments indicate a new wave of crisis. Perhaps these crises are coming to an end, but Lebanon should not and cannot be dragged into these crises.' Hariri stated, 'Attacks on the Gulf Arab countries in the media and political positions jeopardize Lebanon's interests, especially the interests of Lebanese who work in those countries.' In another part of his speech, which was a clear reference to Hezbollah, he said, 'If we reject the interference of other countries in Lebanon's internal affairs, we must accept that no Lebanese group should interfere in the affairs of other countries either.' When Saad Hariri announced his resignation, the Saudi government harshly criticized the Lebanese government, claiming that it had declared war against Riyadh. However, Western governments, including the United States, emphasized their support for Saad Hariri and the Lebanese government. Before leaving Riyadh, Hariri stated that the Lebanese government faces the risk of sanctions from Gulf Arab countries due to Hezbollah's interventions in the region. He pointed out that in addition to the situation of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese living in Gulf countries, economic relations with that region, which are vital for Lebanon's economy, could also be jeopardized.