Lebanon’s political crisis deepened on Monday as the last pro-Syrian minister quit the Cabinet shortly before it met to discuss the framework of a special court to try killers of a former prime minister.
Environment Minister Yacoub Sarraf, a supporter of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, resigned after five Shi’ite Muslim ministers from Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, quit over the failure of talks on their demands for effective veto power in the government.
The anti-Syrian majority coalition has accused Hezbollah of carrying out a Syrian-Iranian plan to overthrow the Western-backed government and foil efforts to set up the court to try the killers of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
”As I can’t find myself part of any constitutional authority that lacks representation from a whole religious sect … I herewith tender my resignation from the government,” Sarraf, a Christian, said in his letter to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
The depleted Cabinet later met to consider United Nations-drafted statutes for a special court to try al-Hariri’s killers, despite the resignation of the six pro-Syrian ministers.
Siniora insisted on holding the meeting despite the resignations and despite opposition from President Emile Lahoud, and political sources expected the Cabinet to adopt the draft on the tribunal.
The collapse of talks at the weekend deepened the country’s political crisis and raised the prospect of street confrontations that would damage efforts to recover from a devastating war with Israel.
Legitimacy
Siniora has rejected all the resignations but a senior source close to the ministers said they stand by their decision.
Lahoud opposed holding the Cabinet session, saying that any such meeting after the resignations would be unconstitutional. Siniora said his government is still legitimate.
”The hidden plot has been revealed. It’s a Syrian-Iranian plot to launch a coup against the legitimacy, stop the establishment of an international tribunal and foil [UN] Resolution 1 701,” the anti-Syrian majority said in a statement.
Security Council Resolution 1 701 halted a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in mid-August.
The United States has already accused Iran, Syria and Hezbollah of plotting to topple the government, which Washington holds up as an example of emerging democracy in the Middle East.
Hezbollah has denied trying to obstruct the al-Hariri tribunal, saying it had agreed to it but wanted to discuss the details.
Hezbollah said on Sunday it will stage peaceful street protests as part of a campaign to press its demands for better representation in the government for its allies, especially Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun.
Anti-Syrian leaders have pledged counter-demonstrations should Hezbollah take its protest to the streets, raising fears of violence at a time of rising tension between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims.
Many Lebanese blame Syria for the killing of al-Hariri, a Sunni, in a suicide truck bombing. Damascus denies involvement.
Al-Hariri’s 2005 assassination led to mass protests against Syria. Under international pressure, Syria ended its 29-year military presence in Lebanon in April last year and anti-Syrian politicians swept to victory in ensuing elections.
A UN commission investigating the assassination has implicated senior Lebanese and Syrian security officials. — Reuters